


High Wizard

by thephoenixmage1



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-05-21 07:44:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14911251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thephoenixmage1/pseuds/thephoenixmage1
Summary: Harry is about the turn 16 and receive his full powers as an adult wizard.  He spends his summer with Severus Snape and learns some truths about himself as his Potion Professor that will change everything.You might remember this story on Fanfic.net.  Not sure if anyone will believe me but I am the author and I have some vague idea of returning to it.  The problem been that this was started before Half-Blood Prince so Snape is written as a pureblood wizard.  I will do some minor editing but the original chapters will stay basically the same.   There is a certain atmosphere and mood in this story I'm not sure I can re-capture but I'll certainly try.





	1. The Begining

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [High Wizard](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/388692) by dormask84. 



Dumbledore sat back in his chair. They were both in his office after the school year, so far no one had found Dolores Umbridge.

"Mistakes have been made Harry. I will admit that. I have tried to wait until there was a better time but we are fast running out of that, I think. You are only fifteen, and with all that you have being through I fear you will not like what I offer next."

"Sir?" Harry asked confused.

"Soon you will hit sixteen Harry, and I am sure you are aware by now that most wizards and witches experience a growth of magic near their birthday. Some more then others."

"Oh, like the twins. That explains how they had enough power to come up with that lake." Harry nodded in understanding. "Sixteen is the age of adulthood in old magic traditions and our full power, which we will henceforth wield for all our adulthood, comes to be realized. Or so Hermione explained to me."

"Precisely Harry and I am sure you realize that even if you do not study as hard as your friend, you are already quite powerful in your own right, and I can tell you it is more then possible you will turn out to be as powerful as I am."

Harry swallowed hard. "What will that mean for me then sir?"

"It means that a few weeks before your sixteenth birthday, Professor Snape will be taking you to a place that trains those with potential like yours in preparation for the event and will help you regain control of your powers after."

"Professor Snape, sir?" Harry asked in shock, his voice rising slightly in anger.

"Yes, and before you argue Harry, there are a few facts you need to know." The look on Dumbledore's face was serious, so Harry held his tongue.

"First of all next to me, Severus Snape is the next most powerful wizard in Britain, which is part of the reason why he is the very best potions expert in all of Europe. He has an extraordinary amount of power, which he almost solely focuses on his fascination, and intense interest in his favorite subject, Potions. Most are not aware he has such power at all. The man is a genius with potions, but so few know the true depth of his capabilities. Voldemort certainly does not, and Professor Snape is smart enough to keep that bit of juicy knowledge to himself. He is a Slytherin after all."

Harry sat there gaping. Snape? Second most powerful next to Dumbledore himself? It hardly seemed possible, yet it wasn't like the Headmaster to lie. Even about this, especially about this.

"Secondly the place I want to send you requires any student witch or wizard who enters its door to have a personal tutor of sorts. They can give you the knowledge you need. It is up to you to use it and up to the personal tutor to make sure you do. That is how the system works there. The personal tutor also has to be willing and able to match your strength. If your magic does get out of control Harry, not just anybody will be able to deal with it. For many it will be too strong. If you are as strong as we think you will be, then only Professor Snape or I will have power enough to match it and deal with it. I am sure there are others powerful enough here in Britain, but not among those whom I know and trust enough with your safety. I do trust Professor Snape, despite his personality quirks."

"Why not you then?" Harry asked.

"Think Harry. I am not just the headmaster of this school, but also head of the order. My full attention is necessary in order to keep an eye on all that is happening, along with keeping on top of Voldemort's planning. It is not that I do not want to Harry, but I cannot afford distractions. Your birthday is very close to the beginning of the first term. You may not have gained full control of your magic by that time. It may take awhile before you do. Finding a substitute potions teacher will be easy enough but an absent headmaster is not such a good idea."

"Oh." Harry blinked and thought on that a moment. "What about Snape's other activities?" He asked a little cautiously, not sure if he should even hint on Snape's spying.

"If Professor Snape should need to disappear on short notice, I would ask you not to question too closely Harry. Severus is very valuable as he is a favorite of Voldemort's for his potion skills. He has ways to keep in contact with me without coming to Hogwarts. As long as he can attend the Death Eater meetings as summoned, we should manage."

Harry met Dumbledore's eyes and nodded seriously.  
"Will I be able to stay at the Burrow at all?"

"I am afraid not Harry. Until you have your full power and the ability to control it, you are safer with the Dursley's such as they are. Next year you may not have to stay with them for you will probably know enough and be strong enough to protect yourself. You will also be old enough to perform magic outside of school."

"Well that is something at least." Harry sighed. "So Professor Snape will turn up at the Dursley's about three weeks before my birthday?"

"That is correct." Dumbledore nodded.

Harry thought about this for a moment. While Professor Snape did not have the greatest respect toward him, he was almost interested to see how the Potion Master would react to his relatives.

"Is that such a good idea?"

Dumbledore let a smile cross his lips.  
"Perhaps not." There was a mischievous twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes and Harry couldn't help but grin in response. This could be very interesting.

"Is that all professor?" Harry asked.

"Yes, yes. Off you go." Harry rose and headed for the door. "Oh and Harry?" Harry paused, his hand on the handle. "I wouldn't warn your relatives. Let it be... a surprise. They do like surprises I hope?"

Harry grinned again. "Not really sir."

"Such a shame. Off you go then."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

 

\---------------

 

It was a Saturday and he was wearing his usual summer outfit of baggy, torn and fraying jeans and an oversized grey top. Harry tuned out his Uncle Vernon as he yelled at him to open the door. He stopped everything the moment he heard the knock. Without any thought whatsoever, he grabbed the knob and swung the door open. The words of greeting froze somewhere in his throat. Dark, cold eyes sneered down at him from a familiar, forbidding pale face framed by long, greasy, black hair. Harry quickly composed himself. 

"Professor Snape." He shuffled awkwardly. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Move aside Potter." Came the command. Harry drew in a deep breath and stepped aside.

"Who is at the door boy?" Uncle Vernon yelled out.

"At least I know where you get your manners from Potter." Professor Snape remarked as he closed the door behind them. "The headmaster told me that your relatives would be in the dark."

"Yes Professor. Ah Uncle Vernon?" Harry called out.

"What is it, you useless little freak?" Uncle Vernon came puffing in, his legs creaking slightly as they waddled under his formidable weight. 

"Forgive my nephew, the pathetic, useless, waste of space that he is. Can't choose your relatives unfortunately.

""Indeed." Snape's eyes narrowed and Harry could almost see the quick churning of gears and the sharp calculating going on in his Professor's head. Professor Snape might be many things, but stupid would never be one of them. 

For the first time Harry also noted that Professor Snape was dressed in muggle clothes. They were very well fitting, posh, and smart looking clothes at that. The outfit screamed money, something his Uncle no doubt noticed as well. Harry was aware that Snape was a pureblood who was aligned with the Malfoy's and his family was well respected among the old, traditional Wizarding families. However putting all of that together with the greasy, hated, potions teacher who made life difficult had not really connected until this moment.

"Vernon Dursley at your service sir." He offered a sweaty, meaty paw to Harry's teacher. Snape eyed it disdainfully and picked it up as if it was one of the twins' practical jokes he had stumbled across by chance. By Vernon's expression, he had not missed a thing but held his tongue as it was obvious that this man was important and rich in some way.

"I am Severus Snape." Was the lofty response. Harry knew his professor could sound arrogant, but that tone implied he was well and above Dursley and made sure he knew it. Harry tried to contain his smile. He well knew the effects his professor could have, and yet to see it used against his relatives made the experience very surreal and quite entertaining.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Snape. How may I help you?"

"Some lunch wouldn't be disagreeable."

"Certainly. Boy, kitchen, now!" Vernon shot him a look. Harry ran, as it was not a good idea to argue with his Uncle when he took that tone.Harry was pulling various bits out of the fridge when a moment later the Professor swept in with Vernon trailing behind. 

"Why don't you come wait on the couch, the boy will have lunch ready soon enough." Vernon offered. Harry pulled out a chopping board, and then washed the vegetables. Having Snape stare and watch was almost too much like potion classes except this time, he knew what he was doing.

"Can this boy be trusted sir?" Professor Snape asked in that deceptively smooth tone. "I wouldn't wish to be poisoned."

"I wouldn't put it beneath him." Vernon scowled. "Why don't I fetch my wife and son? Watch the boy if it puts you at ease."

"It does." Was the dark remark. Vernon vanished. "Interesting relatives Potter. I hope you know what you are doing?" Snape scowled around at the muggle kitchen as if an old, medieval stone bench, a caldron and a few potion jars might suddenly appear.

"I might be hopeless at potions sir but I've being cooking since I was four. I'm better then my Aunt Petunia and she's known to the entire neighborhood as the best in the area." Harry said as he peeled potatoes and carrots and skinned an onion.

"What is this?" The professor pointed.

"It's called a fridge sir." Harry then found himself explaining simple muggle gadgets to his professor. From the fridge and freezer to the gas plates, oven, microwave, and dishwasher to the peeler, knife sharpener, electric can opener and the small starter he used to light the gas.

"Amazing how muggles make do without magic. Enormously incompetent but ingenious all the same. Are you supposed to just swish the pan like that?"Harry blinked. He sensed the interest of a potions master coming to the forefront here. 

"It's called sautéing which is what I am doing to the onions so they don't burn. In muggle cooking, it doesn't really matter which way you stir, how or how often, as long as nothing is burnt. It doesn't matter what order the food goes in either. As a rule, meat generally goes in first because it takes the longest to cook. Spices also usually go in early; they get absorbed better that way with the rest of the food. Things like carrots and potatoes take longer to cook so they usually go in after the meat and spices. Then you add the other vegetables, celery, broccoli, and cabbage. Things like mushrooms and peas go in last because they cook quickly. That's the idea anyway, but there are exceptions of course. The main aim of muggle cooking is to have everything ready at once."

"Peculiar. There is no specific formula you go by?"

"The first time I cook something I usually go by the recipe but once I know it, I don't generally need it and experiment a bit."

"Experiment?" That dark tone didn't approve.

"Experimenting in muggle cooking doesn't usually lead to explosions sir. Well there was this one time with the chicken, but anyway. Most of the time I can get it to taste better."

"Taste is more important in food then potions." The tone was thoughtful. "These recipes. May I see?" Harry pulled open a cupboard in a spare moment and pulled out a box, which he set before his professor.

"This has everything I use in it, from the simple, basic stuff to the more advanced stuff." His professor plunged in a hand and pulled out a thick cookbook, which he opened randomly.

"Cream butter and sugar? Fold egg into mixture? Mix until fluffy? None of this makes any sense!" the Professor said in an annoyed tone.

"Potions don't make much sense to me Professor." Harry remarked. "You should see some of the harder or older recipes. Unless you know what they mean and how to do it, they don't make much sense at all."Professor Snape flipped through the book, pausing occasionally to glance at various recipes. 

"No wonder muggle raised children have such a hard time with potions." Professor Snape slammed the book shut with a thump that caught Harry off-guard. Harry quickly set out plates and began to pile them up with food. He heard the heavy steps of his uncle and cousin. He had to assume Aunt Petunia was with them.

"They probably changed into the best clothes they have. Aunt Petunia will be wearing that putrid perfume Dudley got her for Christmas." Harry remarked. Professor Snape rose and Harry shoved the box of recipe books away.

"Finished boy?" Vernon stormed in. Harry grabbed plates and quickly put them on the table before he got out his own little plastic plate, which he offered to Petunia who only gave him less then half of what he gave her. Silently he went to the table and waited by his little wooden stool with the missing leg.

"Well, why don't we all sit down?" Vernon offered."Mr. Snape, this is my lovely wife Petunia and our darling son Dudley." Vernon introduced.

"Charmed." Professor Snape nodded coolly then sat with his customary stiff manner and the air of a man who knew he was better then everyone else. He ate with the delicacy of someone raised in high society. Harry watched with slight amusement as his relatives tried to copy him.Harry didn't even try. He just dug right in as he always did. He was well used to doing so with that cool, dark gaze sneering down at him and he wasn't about to let that stop him. 

"Now Mr. Snape. May I ask why you came to my humble house?" Vernon asked with a sickly smile.

"You may." Snape murmured pleasantly. Harry glanced up at his professor. Snape only sounded that pleasant when he was about to do something nasty. "First of all, it befalls me to tell you that I am a wizard."

Harry swallowed before he could choke which Vernon was currently doing from his spot at the head of the table. His face turning that interesting colour of purplish red. 

"As Mr. Potter knows, I am the second most powerful wizard in Britain and I am also considered the third most dangerous wizard residing in the British Isles." Snape said in that dangerously low drawl that sent cold shivers down the spine.

"Voldemort would be the first right?" Harry asked curiously. He was use to ignoring his good sense, even around Professor Snape.

"Correct Mr. Potter. The second most dangerous is Mad-eye Moody." Harry had to laugh. 

"That doesn't surprise me. What about Malfoy?"

"I believe the one you are referring to, Mr. Lucius Malfoy, is only fifth."

"I wouldn't be telling that to his face though." Harry chuckled."Most wizards however consider you as being fourth Mr. Potter, since you are the Boy-Who-Lived numerous times now. Not only has the Dark Lord attempted to kill you, but also nearly every Dark Arts professor, various Death Eaters, dementors, dragons, a  
three headed dog, the whomping willow tree, a troll and a giant, the house elf Dobby and last but not least the werewolf, who I suppose also falls under the category of Dark Arts professor. It's hardly any wonder Malfoy has it in his best interest to try to kill you."

"I'm more dangerous then Lucius Malfoy?"

"According to popular opinion, yes. I am sure the articles written by the Rita woman to the Daily Prophet hardly helped. She seems to have mysteriously disappeared since however."

"Funny about that." Harry coughed slightly to cover a smile. Snape's eyes narrowed at him."You wouldn't happen to know something about that now would you Potter?" Those dangerous eyes fixed on him.

"Oh well now sir." Harry shifted uncomfortably. "You would really have to ask Hermione about that."

Snape sat back slightly in his chair. "I see. Too clever for her own good Miss Granger." Harry just shrugged.

"You ... you. You're one of them!" Vernon spluttered out. Snape coolly pulled out his wand and leveled it at his uncle, his lips curling in that unpleasant and inherently dangerous way.

"I would watch my tongue if I were you Mr. Dursley. Insulting a wizard is bad enough. Insulting me can be highly dangerous to your health. Killing muggles is nothing new to me, and I would not hesitate to do so now. I don't suppose you are packed by any chance Potter?"

"They have my school stuff locked in the cupboard. I don't have the key and I can't do magic outside of school."

"How do you do homework Mr. Potter?"

"I usually do it on the train to school or on the first night or so depending on which class I have first. I keep my wand on me just in case; it's hidden in my room right now."

"I suggest you fetch it and anything else you need Mr. Potter. I will get your things out of the cupboard."

"Yes sir."

Harry hurried up to his room to drag out a trunk and fill it with clothes. He then opened the loose floorboard under his bed to get his wand, his photo album, various bits of candy from the twins, his packages of food and a few other bits of things he kept there for safekeeping. It didn't add up to all that much. His other bits of important stuff were locked up in the cupboard and he could hear Vernon opening it with a key even though he knew perfectly well Snape could use magic to open it.He could just imagine Vernon sweating and puffing and hands shaking under that cold, penetrating and demanding stare. It sent students quaking in their boots everyday and he was sure his uncle was no different. Harry almost smiled again as he picked up the cage that had Hedwig locked up inside. Vernon had the key for that too. With her in one hand and his small trunk in the other, Harry headed downstairs.

"Is that everything Mr. Potter?" The Professor asked him as Dudley pulled his other trunks out of the cupboard while under Snape's intensive glare. He was bent almost double with the effort, well as double as Dudley could get with all that stomach in the way. Harry held forth Hedwig's cage toward his Uncle.

"If you would unlock her cage please Uncle?" He asked politely. Snape's glare narrowed further in a way only Snape could manage. There was a fumbling of keys and then shaky hands unlocked the small deadlock on the cage. Harry unhooked the lock for the cage and tossed it on the floor.

"I believe that is everything Professor Snape." 

Snape nodded, his dark eyes falling on Petunia. "When Lily talked about a sister, she mentioned a lively girl with a love of life, an easy nature and an eager laugh. That was the first year at Hogwarts at any rate. Lily said she had changed over the years and never understood how, why, when. Still I never imagined that she would be such a narrow minded, resentful and bitter woman. Not that it really matters I suppose. What ever happened to that child do you think?" Snape twirled in that utterly graceful and dangerous way that only Snape could pull off. Harry bit off the questions that suddenly whirled in his head. Like how the hell Professor Snape could talk about his mother as though she were a friend? He quickly went after the Professor who was already practically out of the front door.

"Take this Potter." An empty cat food can was thrust at him once they were outside. Knowing exactly what it was Harry had to gather himself together emotionally before he could touch it. In moments, the familiar pull of a portkey yanked at his belly.


	2. Where am I?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry finds himself in a strange place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I grew up and spent most of my life in Western Australia. The awkwardness of trying to answer a tourist who asks you where the koala's are is something I have experienced. PS: As lovely as the beaches are too look at, I wouldn't recommend swimming, the swell is often rough and the current draws the water up from the Antarctic so it's often cold. WA is also frequently windy, particularly about 3pm onwards. Bluff Knoll was once considered a mountain, still annoyed it got re-classified.
> 
> Apologies about format, I will fix it soon. Anyone know any easier way to copy text from Fanfic other then view script, copy and then edit.

Harry swayed slightly, his skin prickled, he felt chilled and clammy as the world came back into focus, his belly rolled unhappily. He swallowed back the rising nausea and made himself look around. He really wasn't too fond of portkeys. Before him was a fairly modern building, allbrick and metal with large glass windows. It was only two stories high, but it spread out over the grounds in a seemingly random fashion. It had covered walkways and paths crossing through the surprisingly thick gardens. There was a stream, a waterfall, and a little Japanese bridge that went over it. Harry had never seen anything like it before but fell in love with it on sight. It seemed perfect somehow. 

"Perhaps you know now Mr. Potter, why a student must be a certain age before they learn to apparate?" Snape's demanding voice asked in a way that suggested the professor felt he would not know the answer. Yet with sudden clarity, he did. 

"Apparition requires quite a bit of power. Since you do not get your full adult power until you are sixteen, most students do not have enough power when they are younger to manage it" 

"You are correct Mr. Potter." Snape sounded like he had bitten something sour. Harry stared at him. He did not think he had ever heard those words come out of his professor's mouth. Not in relation to him at any rate. 

"Do I get points?" He asked cautiously. 

"Do not be ridiculous. It's the school holidays Mr. Potter and we are not at Hogwarts." Came the biting remark. 

Harry almost heaved a sigh of relief. Snape had him worried for a moment. Snape waved his wand and levitated the trunks. 

"Open the cage and let that poor owl out to fly. They are not meant to be kept caged up in such a confined space for so long."

"It wasn't my idea sir." Harry replied and was relieved to let Hedwig out. She fluttered out to land on his shoulder, giving her wings and legs a good stretch as he stroked her chest. With a croon, she launched off.

"I would certainly hope not Mr. Potter." Snape remarked, following her with his dark eyes. "Come." The snapped demand had him following the professor at a fast-paced trot before he knew what he was doing. It occurred to Harry as Snape confidently strode through the carpeted halls that Snape must have been here before. That it was likely that Snape himself had come here before he turned sixteen and learned what was taught here.They stopped at a door labeled "Overseer" and Snape gave it a sharp rap. It was followed by the opening of the door and a friendly smile that proved Harry right by when the owner of the smile greeted his Professor by his first name. 

"Severus, Albus told us you were coming back. It is good to see you." Snape shook hands coolly, his expression never changing though Harry thought he saw a glimmer of welcome in those dark eyes.

"Professor Protimas." Snape greeted formally.

"And this of course must be the famous Harry Potter." The statement was followed by the easy smile. Harry found himself smiling in return. There was something very good-natured about the man and yet something in the set of his eyes and mouth hinted that if you happened to cross him or get on his bad side, he would not be very forgiving. Harry instantly liked him.

 

"Professor Protimas." He shock hands with him.

"Welcome to the School of Advanced Magic Mr. Potter. I am the Overseer here. What I do mostly is make sure all the classes run smoothly, sort out the room allocations, and see that the house elves have everything they need for cooking and cleaning. My job is administration. I do lecture at some of the classes and if you ever need someone to talk to, I am here to listen. In general, however I am just here to make sure everything runs smoothly. I should have a basic information pack here somewhere." The Professor disappeared and came back with a good-sized cardboard box.

"This should have everything you need." The Professor opened it up and picked up a tiny rectangular box from the top. He then slid off the lid to show Harry the small key that rested inside.  
"This will open your room. I am sure the professor will show you the spell to make sure the lock only opens if you or Severus is holding the key. Do not lose it. You should have your timetable, a map, the list of rules, enough scrolls for the first day or two, ink, a couple quills, a book that you will need for your first week and a few other things. There is a list in there that tells you what should be in that box. If anything is missing, do let someone know. The rest you will have to provide for yourself or it will be handed to or made available to you, as you need it. Good luck Mr. Potter."

"Ah, thank you." Harry said quickly as the box was shoved into his arms. Snape took the little box that held the key. A moment later and the door was closed. Professor Snape turned the rectangular little box over. 

"Room 639." Snape pocketed the little box. "If I recall correctly, that is on the second floor of the Mandrake Wing. We might be lucky enough to have a West view."

"Ah, we sir?" Harry asked while his stomach suddenly started to get the queasy sensation that Dumbledore deliberately left certain bits of information out, like having to share a room with Professor Snape. Snape turned and lifted an eyebrow in a way that only made that queasy feeling worst. 

"We, Mr, Potter. The student and his personal tutor are required to share a room." Severus strode forward in that manner which meant he was expected to follow. Harry let out a sigh and did so. He should have known Dumbledore was leaving bits out when he first presented this idea. Not much he could do about it now. 

While getting to Gryffindor Tower required many stairs, this seemed to require quite a bit of walking through corridors and garden paths. Harry was puffing for breath and his legs were aching from having to trot in order to keep up with the long and fast sweeping steps of Professor Snape.

"It appears we are in luck Mr. Potter." He said, and Harry realized that Snape had stopped. He glanced at the room number and saw that it was 639. Was it facing West? Harry had no idea at this point. Snape pulled out the tiny box and slid off the lid to take out the key. Holding it in one hand, Snape tapped it with his wand in the other. The key and the lock both glowed. 

"Hold out your hand Mr, Potter." Harry did so and the key was placed in it. Again, Snape's wand lowered and again both the key and lock glowed.

"That takes care of that." Snape gave a slight nod of satisfaction. "I'll take that key back thank you." It was snatched from his hand before he could think to protest. Snape used it to open the door. It was quickly returned to its little box and was back in Snape's pocket as the door was pushed open. Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting, but whatever it was, he quickly forgot. There was carpet the colour of a light creamy tan. The walls were also light, a golden-toffee brown colour. There were huge glass doors and white curtains, which were open to show Harry the last thing he expected. Moving forward he absently placed the box he was carrying on the coffee table and headed to the glass doors, which he found, opened onto a balcony. He quickly opened the door. Outside he could see endless blue water surging forward with white foaming tips toward yellow sand, hitting against rocky reefs, and slamming onto low rocky cliffs. These rooms were not quite right on top of a very beautiful beach but they were damn well close.

"Where are we?" Harry turned to go back into the room, his eyes taking in the low, soft looking red couch, the glass top coffee table and the empty wooden shelves in the living space.

"In a place called Margaret River, on the South West coast of Western Australia."

"We're in Australia?" Harry gapped in surprise.

"That we are Mr. Potter. It is the end of winter on this side of the globe though it is nowhere near as cold as in Scotland. It is rare that the thing they call a mountain here gets even an inch of snow on it." 

"It doesn't snow?" Harry blinked. Trying to think what was stranger.

"For the most part, no. How much do you know about Australia Potter?"

"Ah, there are kangaroos and koalas?" Harry shrugged a bit sheepishly.

"Western Australia doesn't have any koalas." Snape's condescending voice informed him in a tone that suggested he was a complete dolt.

"It doesn't?" Harry blinked."They can only be found at the Perth Zoo and some specialized parks. They are not native to this part of Australia."

"Oh." There wasn't much else Harry could say to that.

"Get yourself unpacked Potter." Snape motioned his floating trunks to land on the ground in front of his feet. Then he waved his wand and with a crack, a pile of dark, heavy trunks appeared. More than likely, the Professor's own trunks were packed with his gear.

"Ah Professor? Isn't that kind of impossible, apparating stuff from somewhere else to you? I thought you would need to apparate to where they were, and that you had to touch them and bring them with you as you apparated back?"

"You will find Mr. Potter that there are advantages to having more power then most magical folk." Snape informed him coolly. Harry blinked. He could see the advantages of being able to do that immediately and wondered if he could learn how. The burst of excitement and eagerness to learn caught him by surprise. It reminded him of the first time he realized that he was a wizard and that he was leaving the Dursley's to go to Hogwarts.

"Can I use magic?" Snape turned to him, those dark eyes glowering at him as if he was insane.

"This is a school Mr, Potter. The use of magic and the application of wands are generally considered something of a requirement in most wizarding educational facilities."

"Oh, right." Harry flushed in embarrassment. He got out his wand, levitated his trucks, and went to the only door. He opened it to find an airy, spacious bedroom. There were two beds on opposite sides of the room. Shelves with cabinets separated the two beds and each had a large, wide bedside table. On the other side of the room were two large wooden desks with drawers. Each had a comfortable looking chair next to it, complete with wheels. Harry had seen desk chairs like these in muggle advertisements. He had never seen such chairs himself though and wouldn't have expected to see them in a magical establishment. He went over and sat in one. They were very comfortable and magically charmed to meld to the position that he found was ideal for him. He used his feet to give an experimental push. The chair glided over the carpet in a way Harry suspected no muggle chair would. He could get used to this.

Rising from the chair, he looked around. The beds had plain sheets and a patterned white and brown cover. The chairs however, were the same red as the couch in the living space. They looked a bit out of place here. He opened a door and found a large hanging space containing more drawers and shelves then he knew what to do with. Stepping out, he opened the other door and found the bathroom. Inside was a huge bath, separate shower stall, a sink and toilet. It was beautiful. The countertop was marble of some sort and the bath was a huge, old-fashioned claw-footed monstrosity with a baffling array of taps on the wall. He had no idea what they were for. The shower had a pattern of tiles in yellow, blue and green and its own confusing display of taps and buttons. There were white fluffy towels and the sink was the same red colour as the couch and chairs. There were also flashes of shiny gold plated metal glinting in places and it was perfect. Stepping back into his bedroom, Harry let his gaze go over everything.

Considering the fact that the walls were blank and that there was nothing on the shelves, Harry could only assume that you could dress up a room however you pleased. It was simple enough to charm pictures to sit in a certain place on a wall, or to put up anything you really wanted to. You could even cause them to hover in midair if you fancied that sort of thing. There were glass doors here too, which also opened up onto the balcony. Sitting outside on the balcony, he found two more chairs with red seat cushions and a small round table with the same tile pattern as the shower. He hadn't taken time to notice them there before. He headed back inside. Harry took the bed closest to the balcony and started to unpack. It did not take long. The only thing he had to hang up were his school robes, the rest he folded and put away. He put his schoolbooks in the desk across from his bed and on one of the shelves between the two beds. The photo album he put in his bedside table. He placed Hedwig's cage in a corner of the room with the door open for her.

With nothing left to unpack, he opened the bedroom door to enter the living space in order to get the box from the coffee table and see what was in it. He found that what had been an open, airy living space now had a fair corner of it turned into a makeshift potions lab. The empty shelves had been filled to stuffing point with books, and wall cabinets had being added and were stockpiled with the familiar jars that were filled with things Harry would rather not name. It was a good thing most of the labels were written in Latin by Snape's meticulously neat and small handwriting. This meant the chances were slim he would be able to read them. Harry didn't know why he was so surprised. Considering this was Snape, he really shouldn't be. He grimaced and shrugged. What else could he  
really do? 

Deciding to ignore whatever Snape was doing in the little area he'd created, he went over to the coffee table that still had the box. Glancing sideways at the muttering Snape, he decided to take the box with him back into the bedroom. The first thing he picked out was the list of things that should be in the box. Harry next picked up the Rules and Regulations book; it was quite thick. Check. He put it down and looked at the next item on the list. Timetable of classes available. It was long; some classes were on at the same time on the same day. Check. List of classes he would be having during his first week. Check. A quick glance proved he would not need a time turner. Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Check. One map. A few moments soon proved that this was not like the Marauders map, nor the official Hogwarts map. 

Harry was use to staircases moving. This map had classrooms appear out of nowhere and others vanishing while still others were swapping about in a seemingly random order. He let out a slight groan and placed it to one side before he got a headache. Check. A list of various games, clubs and  
activities he could get involved in. He glanced at the neat little pamphlet; a quick scan proved there were Quidditch and dueling, as well as a chess group. What badminton was, he had no idea. Check. Book of Required Reading for First Week of Attendance. Harry picked it up and found that the book's title said exactly that. He hefted the weight and eyed the thickness. He now knew why that box had been so heavy. This was only the first week's reading? He was going to be here for at least three weeks! Maybe even long enough to miss the first week or two of school. Harry grimaced and set it aside. Check. Box with plenty of parchment needed to take notes for first few days. Harry took out the box; it was nearly as thick as the book. He slid open the lid and found empty paper. Sliding the lid closed he set it aside with the book. Check. Diary to record homework, assignments, required reading and any other information. Check. Bottle of ink. Harry picked that up. Black and quite large. He put up down again. Check. Two ever-sharp quills. Harry frowned at them. Emu feathers? Maybe. Check. 

That was it. Harry put the empty box to one side. He looked at the things he had pulled out. Snape flung the door to the room open and strode in, looking down at him as if he was a particularly interesting potion ingredient.

"Read the Rules and Regulations book. Take the map everyway and always head for a class at least ten minutes earlier then you usually do. The rooms are highly unpredictable. Entire wings are known to vanish and reappear at the opposite end of the school grounds. The living quarters like this wing are the only exception. You have tomorrow to walk around, and figure out were most things are. The library, the eating hall and the activity room all tend to stay in one spot, so do the staff rooms and the general layout. Some classrooms are more predictable then others. Some change at a higher frequency and some like to go somewhere a bit obscure on a full moon. You will soon learn. You start classes the day after. I would advise that you look up which classes you have and read at least the first chapter on the relevant subject in your book while taking down some notes. This is not Hogwarts Mr. Potter. People are here to learn and it is accelerated learning at that. It is very easy to fall behind. All students are here because of their potential, the same as you. You will make friends here that will be your peers and equals for your whole life in a way that your friends back home will never quite be, for they simply will not 

Harry swallowed and nodded. "Yes sir." Snape stared at him, as if measuring him and finding him wanting. 

"There are not many with the ability Potter. Students come from all over the globe for these classes. Not just anyone of magical ability can get in and even though there are billions of people, the chances of a witch or wizard with high potential turning sixteen at around about the same time are moderately slim. Classes will be small and intensive. I will make sure one of the professors here charms you with the translation spell. This will enable you to understand any language, both written and spoken. Others will also be able to understand you. That should make things a bit easier."

Snape then turned and used his wand to bring in what was left of his things. Potter sighed and picked up the book of Rules and Regulations. He wouldn't put it past Snape to throw him a pop-quiz on it before dinner time.


	3. New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry settles in and mets a couple new people

Chapt 3

Reading through the rules Harry found a lot of it had to do with respecting the other students and the staff. Regardless of race, colour, religion and all that other stuff. Which he felt would be easy enough. There was stuff about doing magic without supervision and pulling pranks. There was an obscure warning about trying to break into personal rooms without a key, even if it was yours. It was the kind of vague warning that caused him to decide to never even try it. There was a slightly stronger and still deceptively vague warning about making off with property that didn't belong to him. There was a particular side note about trying to steal school property. In the back there was a list of things in the Australian bush a foreign wizard had to be aware of. Magic creatures for instance, like the Bunyip, gumnut babies and vengeful banksia men, not to mention some giant rainbow serpent creature. He thought Britain had its share of strange magical creatures. He could now see that the ones he knew of that was only the beginning. 

Werewolves, unicorns, dragons and griffins were commonly known in Britain and while they were found in other places as well, it didn't begin to cover the varied magical creatures to be found world over. Australia for instance, mostly ignored and isolated for so many centuries by wizards and muggles alike, had apparently evolved it's own parama of exotic and strange assortment of magical creatures without any help or contamination of outside forces, at least until fairly recently. There was also a side note about some odd suicidal ghost who kept drowning himself in something called a billabong and by a tree known as a coolibah. He sang some song about waltzing with Matilda and always had a billy on the boil. Why anyone would want to boil a goat Harry had no idea. 

"Are you about done Potter?" Snape's voice ended his musing and he glanced up in surprise, seeing that the room had darkened considerably and that Snape seemed to have transformed his side of the room. The bed had being enlarged and had a dark green quilt over the top. There were more books and more potion bottles set up and there was also a large leather black chair that hadn't being there before, placed to one side. The desk was set up with ink, quills, paper and a pile of books waiting. Harry put aside the pamphlet.  
"Yes sir"  
"Good. Where is that map? Dining hall shouldn't have moved but you can never know for certain in this place." Harry fished it out and handed it over. Snape glanced over it, giving a slight nod before he put the map aside.  
"Come along Potter," Snape commanded as he headed for the door. Harry hastened after him. Rather then the four long tables for students and the head table that Harry was using to, there were many, many smaller tables placed at random. 

"Hey Severus, that you?" The man who rose from a chair looked to be Snape's total opposite, short, cubby and tanned with corn yellow hair and bright sapphire eyes.  
"Lance." The professor gave a courteous nod that seemed oddly formal and yet friendly in that polite way that was Snape.  
"Still brewing your concoctions?" The accent sounded American, as far as Harry could tell.  
"Still creating minor basic charm work?" Snape sneered in reply.  
"I am as my magic made me." Came the loose shrug and Harry had the doubtable privilege of seeing a truly wicked little gleam come to Snape's eyes as his lips lifted in an almost smile. 

"By that you are saying that it is your magic which controls and dictates where your strengths are. Denying any responsibility on your own part on where your interests were before your magic potential was reached"  
"I'm not saying that I, such as I was, did not have an interest in improving other people's lives in small, insignificant ways. I was something of a finicky perfectionist about certain things to be sure, but given my own choice I don't think I would have pursued this particular revenue." 

"Don't mind them." A girl about his age with obvious Spanish background reached a hand to him. "My name is Estelle"  
"Harry." He shook her hand. Her brown eyes narrowed on him slightly.  
"Oh. You're Harry Potter"  
Harry flushed embarrassed and awkward.  
"Harry Potter?" Lance's blue eyes fixed on him unerringly. "The Boy-Who-Lived?" Harry buried his head in his arms, blushing furiously and he could hear the whispers and feel the eyes on him already.  
"Congratulations Potter. You're a Celebrity once again." Snape growled.  
"Wonderful." Harry groused, crossing his arms defensively. "At least at Hogwarts most of them have gotten over that. Well except for Ginny and Colin"  
"Ah yes, Mr Crevely. His, persistence is well known." 

"Look, I'm sorry. It just took me by surprise," Estelle apologised.  
Harry sighed. "It's ok. I should be use to that by now"  
"Are you only just here"  
"Yeah. Start classes Monday"  
"Have you being told anything much about what to expect"  
"Not really"  
"No one who comes here is supposed to be told more then is necessary." Snape broke in, his dark eyes looking accusingly at Lance."Oh  
I wasn't sir." Estelle said quickly. "It's just that you both leapt into an age old argument between higher wizards without really explaining what the argument was about. I still don't really understand and my birthday is in four days."  
"You have a point." Lance smiled in a friendly way. "Sit down Harry. Perhaps we should explain. It is a little tricky when you don't have your full magic yet. The intrinsic understanding of certain things comes after the transition stage. Estelle will have hers quite soon, before her birthday I think." Lance smiled at the girl. From what little Harry did know, he could only assume Lance was acting as her personal tutor, like Snape was doing for him. 

"I sense the gathering of building magic." Snape said in an agreeing tone which left Harry baffled.  
"Yours has hardly started." Lance said to Harry curiously.  
"He has awhile to go yet. He was sent here probably earlier then he needed to be just in case."  
"That I can understand." Lance nodded. "Take a seat both of you. Food will appear soon. It's almost six"  
Harry reluctantly did so. 

"Now among the higher witches and wizards, those of us with more power then common for regular witches and wizards, we gain more then just magic  
ability, we also gain knowledge and often our minds are changed as well. Gaining such powerful magic often opens our minds portentional, bringing with it a certain amount of intrinsic knowledge no book learning can gain you." 

"Again your own knowledge falls short." Snape sneered. "Magic in it's self is a fixed amount. While it can be quite unpredictable in certain ways, there is only so much of it. The only thing that changes is our ability to harness it." Snape piercing gaze fell at him then. "Not even the best of high wizards know how the transition between potential and high wizard affects not only our ability to harness magic but also our intelligence. We don't just gain ability, with it come a certain gaining of knowledge, some more then others." Snape glared at Lance who just shrugged and smiled. 

"Most are given at least a basic understanding of how magic itself works to some degree, an understanding of what magic should be used for and most of us gain a little bit more too."  
"This is where part of the argument comes in." Estelle told him. "It could but that the increase of magic ability emphases what we have already. Or the gain of so much ability triggers other side effects like an improved understanding and knowledge of magic as well as a sharper mind."  
"Partly true." Lance nodded. "The main problem being that while all higher wizards and witches gain a certain understanding about magic itself, what other knowledge they also may gain can be guessed at but is not truly known until after the transition." 

"On that point we have to disagree." Professor Snape sneered. "The exact area is generally not known but it has being proven that by knowing yourself you can gather a pretty good idea on what your strengths will be after the transition has occurred and what other knowledge you might gain." Snape had that lecture tone in his voice. "It is becoming a much more exact science, being able to pin point what a potential might be able to do and what intrinsic information he or she could gain." 

"Of course it is a fair bit more complicated then that." Estelle broke in with a grin. "It isn't just that you gain power, your ability for magic tends to be keyed to your current interests and strengths. After the transition, your ability is likely to be focused upon one small aspect of your interests and abilities and you will find you will be immensely good at that one thing and it will be your main gift and you will likely devote your life toward expending, perfecting that and then developing you own new ideas upon that one area. You'll be just average in mostly everything else with a few expectations here and there. The few exceptions are known as minor gifts or secondary gifts, which are also usually keyed to your interests in some way, but that isn't always how it works. I'm curious, want to know everything and yet I'm not exactly a people person, friendly, easy to get along with sure, but I just don't have that knack some have. Not like Professor Trent here." She waved a hand at Lance. "I've always had an interest in Animus and metamorphis as well as transfiguration so I think my strength will end up being in that area. I think I would be a Metamorphmagus. That is however not at all guaranteed" 

"Like Tonks?" Harry frowned at looked at Snape. "Is Tonks a higher witch then?"  
"She isn't on the same level as Albus and myself but she is a higher witch all the same"  
"What about the others? Like the Weazely family, Mad-Eye Moody, Professor McGonagall."  
"Professor Moody is certainly but no Potter. Though I believe Professor Bins was once."  
"Professor Binns?" Harry blinked in almost disbelief. "It's hard enough to imagine him being alive once." 

Snape glowered at him yet there seemed to be a measure of amusement there.  
"Be that as it may Potter, he does have an intrinsic knowledge of history unlike anything most witches and wizards have. He specializes in wars involving non-humans, unless you haven't noticed"  
"Could have fooled me." Harry muttered.  
"While Professor Binns may not be the most interesting of teachers Mr Potter, that should not detract from the fact that there are few as knowledgeable as he is in his chosen subject"  
"Does that also apply to you sir?" Harry had no idea where that came from. He wouldn't ordinarily dare say something like that to Snape. Not in his class room and not at Hogwarts and yet here it seemed everything changed. Hell, Snape was not only letting a teacher or whatever challenge his opinions in an almost affable manner, he was also letting a mere student butt in on him, speak her mind and offer her own thoughts without so much as a murderous scowl, let along detention and minus points or whatever system they had here and so far Snape hadn't being too bad toward him. 

"Does this mean the students consider me uninteresting Mr Potter? Is my teaching skills often compared to Professor Binns?" Snape asked in that dangerous tone he had when he was about to deduct points and throw in a few nights of detention as well.  
"Not uninteresting sir." Harry said quickly. "Just..." Harry swallowed suddenly as Snape raised an expectant eyebrow. Oh hell. "Difficult?" He squeaked out, for lack of a better word.  
"Difficult. I see Mr Potter. Would you consider me as difficult?" Those dark eyes challenged him.  
"I, ah." Harry swallowed again. "Perhaps I shouldn't answer that"  
Those thin lips lifted in a sneer. "Perhaps you shouldn't. This however you implied shouldn't detract from my ability with Potions"  
"Well I..., no sir." Harry said quickly before he could get into any more trouble. Snape smirked. 

At that moment food appeared on the table. Harry jumped back and blinked in surprise. He glanced up to see Professor Trent and Estelle were already digging in. Snape primly picked up his cutlery but Harry could see he looked less prim then when he was eating at the Dursley's. But not by much.  
"You were putting on an act weren't you sir? At the Dursely's?" Harry asked as he picked up his knife and fork.  
"What ever gave you that impression Mr Potter?" Snape asked in that cold, neutral way.  
"Nothing obvious." Harry said in a thoughtful tone. "It's just..." Harry paused, what he wanted to say would definitely get him into trouble. 

"Spit it out Potter." Snape gave him the murderous gaze. Damned if he did, damned if he didn't. Harry gave a sigh.  
"Well, you were more arrogant and inferior, compared to usual that is." Harry blurted out. Dead silence for a long moment, then Professor Trent broke out in laughter. "By all good magic. I believe that's the first time anyone actually had the guts to come out and say you're a bit of a snob Severus"  
"I'm a Snape." His Professor had the deadly tone that promised smelly cauldrons and lots of soap in his near future. Snape pieced him with twin black holes. "Those muggle relatives of yours got more attention then they deserved."  
"I think Vernon would be glad to never see you again. Or me for that matter"  
"Did I ruin something Potter?" Snape glanced at him, was that a flicker of concern?  
"Absolutely not. The Dursely's would have preferred if I'd died right along side my parents, saving them the trouble of having to raise me at all."  
Snape relaxed slightly. "Being that as the case Mr Potter. Are you questioning my methods"  
"Not at all. It was kind of funny when Vernon realised you were a wizard though. I hadn't really thought of you as being part of a pure blood, traditional, old wizard family, high society and all that much before, not until lunch today anyway"  
"What did you think of me as Mr Potter?" That was that deadly, cold tone again and Harry paled slightly.  
"I had better not answer that." He said quickly.  
"How very wise Mr Potter." Snape murmured, his lips lifting in an almost smile. Harry swallowed back the sudden chill of fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waltzing Matilda- fairly famous poem in Australia. Matilda is an old slang term for a pack/swag. Waltzing Matilda basically means taking a pack/swag about in your travels.  
> billabong: a waterhole cut off from stream or river, replenished only during floods  
> billy usually a small tin bucket with a wire handle, placed on a fire to boil water or cook food. Just like you have a kettle on a boil, you have a billy on the boil, as the saying goes.
> 
> The rest of the poem isn't mentioned much. Look it up and the definitions if you are really interested. Also mentioned: The big, bad banksia men and gumnut babies. Anyone who's read May Gibbs's _Snuglepot and Cuddlepie_ will know about them. May I suggest it as a good read, a bit odd but good?  
>  The bunyip: something like boggarts, or bogey men. Bunyips live in water and are said to emerge at night and eat people (especially naughty children).  
> Last, but not least, the giant rainbow serpent of Aboriginal legend. To aboriginals the rainbow serpent is the creator god. I hope I got that right.


	4. Snape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little bit more on our Potion Master

It was strange, sharing a room with Snape. They both changed in the bathroom and Harry felt incredibly silly emerging out in only his pj's. Snape pointedly ignored him as he quickly moved into his bed. Before Hogwarts he had never shared a room before in his life. The first night and the following nights had being something of a shock to his system until he got use to sharing. For instance there was that very odd snuffling sound Neville made when he was asleep. Seamus was bounding with energy during the day, was an energetic sleeper as well and never seemed to stay still. The constant shifting and moving had taken time to get use to. Ron for some unknown reason, made an occasional squeaking noise. Dean thankful seemed normal enough but still his faint breaths and occasional moments and presence had taken time to get use to as well.

Snape had noxed the lights and since he knew he was sharing, he expected noise. Instead there was dead silence. He found it made him incredibly tense and not the least sleepy. The silence drew out and even though his eyes were closed and he felt tired, he couldn't sleep knowing someone was there but not hearing anything. He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax and breathe slowly and shallow, consciously forcing his thoughts to drift. Eventually it worked. Harry rubbed his head absently as he sat at the bench outside. He had the book of required reading set out in front of him and a parchment to his right, a quill was in one hand while the ink sat to one side. He felt tired, he had a hard time falling asleep, then he was woken up earlier then he was accustomed to during the holidays leaving him now feeling tired. Which wasn't helping his concentration at all as he tried to understand the text in front of him.

After Snape had dragged him down for breakfast, the man dumped the book in his arms and threw him outside and told him to start studying for his classes. Made sure he had the map with him to find his way around and locked up their room, keeping the key.  
"Hey there." Harry glanced up and smiled when he saw it was Estelle.  
"Hi." Harry greeted as she sat down across from him.  
"Studying all ready? I thought you hadn't started yet."  
"I haven't" Harry groaned. "Snape sent me down here to read up. He told me that he expects me to have read the first chapter of reading on the subjects I have tomorrow"  
"Not a bad idea really. Professor Trent never told me that and I spent my first day here completely lost and baffled. It was obvious other students had read up and I felt a complete idiot."  
"I know the feeling." Harry grimaced. "Reminds me of my first potions class. Except only Hermione had done any reading at all, as far as I know"

"Friend of yours?" Estelle asked.  
"Hermione? Yeah. One of my best friends"  
"Girlfriend?" Estelle asked curiously.  
"Naw, Hermione, it would be like dating a cousin or something. You know?"  
"Yeah. What are you reading up on"  
"I'm still stuck on first class." Harry admitted. "The purpose of Mediation."  
"That's easy enough. You are not expected to know much for that class. Especially first day. Mediations main purpose is to prepare yourself for the transition. A calm, collect mind will more readily adapt to the changes. It is also necessary to gain control of your emotions. Strong emotions will cause you to loose control of your magic and anything can happen. Especially after the transition when you have all this extra power and not sure what to do with it."

Harry flushed guilty. "Yeah. I caused pretty much everything in the headmaster's office to break at the end of last term"  
"Wow, no wonder you got sent here early if you could manage wild magic even after four years learning to control it by re-directing it through the wand"  
"Oh." Harry blinked. "Is that what happens?"  
"So I have being explained in Basic Magic. The purpose of that class is to tell you how magic works, it makes adapting to the intuitive knowledge easier since you already know some of it. There is so much to learn!" Estelle let out a frustrated breath. "Good to get into the habit of studying now Harry. I might grab my book and join you if you don't mind?"  
"No, I wouldn't mind at all." Harry told her.  
~~~~

"There you are Potter." Snape descended down upon him as he went into the dinning hall for dinner. He had found out dinner always appeared at exactly six o'clock. Breakfast appeared at seven, lunch at twelve and there was always a table with food available at all hours that the house elves kept stocked up ready for would be snackers.  
"Professor Snape." Harry blinked. One long pale hand was held out expectantly. Harry didn't even have to ask. He handed over the notes he'd made. Snape sat down and not knowing what else to do Harry joined him.  
"Your note taking is as atrocious as the rest of your work Potter." Snape told him cuttingly, dark eyes sweeping over his notes.  
"Setting up homework already Severus?" Professor Trent asked as he joined them, Estelle with him. "Bit early isn't it?"  
"It is never too early." Snape glared in response. "I certainly don't trust Potter to take innovative and take the trouble to learn unassisted." Harry scowled.  
"What about you Harry?" Professor Trent looked at him. 

Harry flushed slightly. "Hermione might help me out by pointing out what books to read and by proof reading stuff and giving opinions on stuff but that's it. She does make sure that I have done my homework." Harry shifted uncomfortably.  
"Well friends are always good when it comes to learning. Two heads are better then one and all that. It's partly why students who come here are asked to have a personal tutor, to make sure they have some support and help to deal with the transition, what they need to known and learn before and to deal with the effects after as well"  
Harry glanced at Snape who was still glaring through his notes with a scowl.  
"Considering how pitiful your attempts were Potter, I think I would have being able to tell if Know-it-all Granger had done the work for you." Snape muttered absently.  
"Yeah well, I think I've proven my interest in potions isn't very high." Harry grumbled, letting his tongue once again get the better of him.  
"Without a doubt." Snape surprised him by sounded almost agreeable. "I detest to think about your other subjects" 

"I do pretty good at Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures and Defence against Dark Arts. I'm not so good at Charms, History and Divination is easy. I just need to predict my own death as unattractively and traumatising as possible"  
"I'd heard Trelawney predicted your death in first year." Snape put the notes aside in time for dinner to pop into existence.  
"She does that every year. I've only ever known her to have two true visions"  
"Two!" Snape's head snapped up. "I only know of the one. Does Albus know of it?"  
"Yeah he knows. It wasn't that important." Harry shrugged.  
"Considering that is the only other vision Trelawney has ever being known to have. It was important enough Potter! We will discuss it later." Came the dark promise. Harry shrugged again. "You will write out those notes again too, neatly. If that is at all possible."  
"Yes sir." Harry sighed. ~~~ "What was the vision about Potter!" Snape had closed the door behind them.  
"It isn't such a big deal. She just told me that someone loyal would return to Voldemort at a certain time, not much more then that"  
"Who?" Came the demand  
"Well I didn't know at the time. Prophecies are vague like that, but it was Peter Pettigrew"  
"That's impossible. He's dead." Snape eyes narrowed on him. Harry dropped down onto his bed with a sigh.  
"There is a long version and a short version." Harry said as he got comfortable.  
"What's the short version?" 

"Peter Pettigrew, as well as Sirius and my Dad were illegal Animagus." Snape blinked at him. Silently he walked across the room and dropped into the black leather armchair.  
"I think you had better give me the long version Potter." So Harry explained. The whole thing. Snape sat silent though it all.  
"You made a fool of me Potter." He said softly in that deadly way.  
"They would have given him the Dementors kiss. Sirius was innocent. I couldn't let that happen to him and you weren't listening." Harry fiddled nervously.  
"Hell bent on getting revenge." Snape murmured. Harry turned to find him sitting in shadow, looking at nothing in particular as he thought. 

"He would have let me take the Kiss. Innocent or not."  
Harry shifted awkwardly."I don't know if he would have. I would like to think he was a better man then that. Letting someone die because of a personal grudge seems kind of stupid to me." Snape laughed. It wasn't a pleasant sound. It was bitter, painful, ugly.  
"How very young you seem to me Potter. I am hardly innocent by any means." Harry hesitated. Did he dare?  
"Be that as it may and aside from, as Dumbledore put it, your personality quirks. I don't think you are wholly bad." Snape snorted slightly.  
"Personality quirks is it? I was merely difficult yesterday." Harry flushed slightly.  
"You're certainly not the easiest person to get along with."  
"Where would be the fun in that Potter?" Snape sounded vaguely amused.  
"If that is your idea of fun, I'm not sure I like it." Harry muttered.  


"Ah, but I am a Slytherin. We have a different idea of fun." Severus stared out the window. "Think on this, if you would Potter. If you have anything between those ears at all that is. I am the second most powerful wizard in Britain.  
"Going on the fact the more magic you have, the more your mental ability is amplified. Consider I am the very best in my field, I've being learning and practising it for seventeen years and am considered something of a Master at my art and I am teaching ignorant children who have barely began to understand their abilities. Not even yet realising what their full potential could be and I try to teach them the simplest of potions there is when I am capable of so much more."  
"Why do you teach at all?"  
"What else am I suppose to do at Hogwarts? I spy for Albus while pretending to spy for the Dark Lord. Covering under the disguise of a job is the only way. Albus allows my experiments, Pomfrey can use my knowledge effectively and the order needs my skills"  
"So teaching is just a cover." Harry frowned slightly.  
"It serves its purpose." Snape murmured.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have stuff on wattpad if interested, look for thephoenixmage1 or https://www.wattpad.com/story/138581185-the-phoenix-mage


	5. Classes Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry starts his new classes

Harry sat outside, the wind was cold against his skin. Before him paced a wizard who had done something to stop the icy drops of rain from falling. He also had preformed the translation spell Snape had mentioned earlier. It was the first class and the sun had barely even risen over the horizon.Snape had surprised him by coming to the first class, which he soon learned, all the personal tutors did. That personal tutors were required to come with their students to all mediation classes. The wizard in charge, Professor Glasmil did his translation spell on all the new students and brought them all out here. Facing the huge ocean, where the waves crashed against cliffs with a soft boom, a sizzle of foam and a swish as it was dragged back out again. Snape sat behind him.  
"What part of clear your mind of thoughts was too difficult for you Mr Potter?" Snape voice drawled out. Harry sighed. He closed his eyes again and tried to breathe in the same rhythm as the waves as he was taught...  


His foot itched...Harry wriggled and tried to ignore it...  
He clenched his fingers and tried to focus on the water instead...  
He tried the rub the spot against a handy spot of stone...  
With a sudden wrench, he ripped his shoe off and tackled at the itchy spot with a vengeance.  
"Mr Potter. What are you doing?" That cold, calm voice asked in that insulting way.  
"It itches"  
"Your point is?"  
"It's bloody hard to ignore"  
Snape heaved a sigh."Come here."  
Harry froze as large hands with long fingers clasped his arms. "For Merlin's sake Potter! I may be the most hated teacher at the school but you need to relax!" Harry drew in a deep breath and forced himself to relax. "Better."  


One hand touched the base of his ribcage. "Remember, breath from the diaphragm. Close your eyes. Listen to the waves. Breathe in, hold, and out. In, hold and out. Just focus on the breathing and the waves. There is no Hogwarts; there is no Dark Lord, no Death Eaters or horrible potion teachers. Just this. By the ocean, the waves smashing against the rocks, drawing back, only to be thrown right back out again. Driven by the tide, which in turn is driven by the moon, which rotates steadily around the earth, which circles around the sun."  
"One tiny little circle of rock, water and atmosphere among a whole bundle of other bits of rock and gas which gravitate toward the sun. It's amazing isn't it? One small little bit of rock. Just in the right spot, just that right size, with just the right conditions for life. How rare, how precious, how unlikely considering the odds. Yet here we are, two people here, on one little planet circling a single star among so many other stars. The odds of another tiny little other planet out there is enormous and yet we dream, we hope and fear that maybe, some where, some how out here is an other strange, odd little plant of rock, water and atmosphere not so different from ours that will have some form of life there and may yet prove to be not so very different from us."  
Harry had no idea how Snape did it but somehow he was there amongst the stars, watching the spheres of rock, ice and gas go tumbling around the sun. So hazardous, the slightest slip could be disaster. Yet still they continued, so fragile and yet so consistent and among the planets the rarest and most fragile of all. For this one planet was special, it had more then just rock and ice and gas. This one was the home of living creatures. One's whose very lives depended on the continuation of the planet as it took them around the sun. One planet circling a single star, amongst the billions that exist out there. The chances of another were so small and yet, with so many other stars and so many other chucks of rock out there, steadily circling around their piece of the galaxy, it was possible that there was something out there for them to one day find.  


"Potter!' Snape's voice caused his eyes to open groggily and he looked up at a pale face smirking down at him.  
"What happened." Harry asked groggily. He sat up and stretched.  
"You fell asleep Mr Potter." Snape continued to smirk. Harry glanced around and saw he wasn't the only one. He felt surprisingly well rested and alert.  
He rose to his feet and looked around feeling invigorated.  
"Am I supposed to feel like this?" He frowned slightly.  
"With luck you may achieve something like this every time you mediate, without falling asleep. Still, your first time wasn't utterly helpless"  
Harry glanced at him and saw there was, almost a glow to his professor he hadn't seen before. He blinked. Now that was just weird.  
"A compliment, from you?" Harry couldn't contain his disbelief.  
Snape looked at him a moment.  
"Haven't you ever noticed I tend to be in a better mood in the morning classes? Particularly first period?"  
Harry thought on it awhile. "In comparison to the other times, I guess so"  
"In comparison." Snape snorted slightly. "Not the most observant of sorts are you Mr Potter. Even Miss Granger knows to corner me before breakfast in respect to assignments. By the time breakfast is over I've already being barraged by the smarter students so you'll forgive me if I'm all ready short of temper by first period."  


Estelle wasn't there at breakfast, neither was Professor Trent. He frowned worried as the food appeared without their appearance.  
"I would imagine your newest acquaintance is currently in Transition." Snape murmured as he daintily set about cutting up the waffles on his plate.  
"All ready?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, you'll find once your gone through the transition, you'll be able to sense magic in people. It is one of the ways Albus knows when a muggle child has magic. You'll be able to sense the build up of magic in potentials and you will tell when enough has built up to burst out from within them"  
"Doesn't sound pleasant."  
"It's, unpleasant. Your whole body seems to burn so hot that you can't escape it and never will. It will be harder for you, as it was for me. For most potentials, the heat will be there but they will only sense it, they won't truly feel it. But for those of us, the more powerful highers, we feel the heat until you feel as if you must be no more then charred ash. After, your body tingles and your skin itches with the excess power. You will feel drunk, exhilarant for awhile, because of the power. The charge of power can kill a lesser wizard if they happen to touch you while in transition."  
"Oh. How do you know? That I'll be a higher wizard or whatever. I might not gain much power at all?"  
"Most unlikely. While that charm placed on you by your mother was designed to protect you, it shouldn't have being enough for what happened to have happened. Besides all that, I can sense the magic in you, just as Albus can. I can tell the difference between a potential and the ordinary witch and wizard. Then there is everything you've done since you've come to Hogwarts. If all that isn't enough Mr Potter, you should consider the mediation we just had."  
'What do you mean?"  
"The mediation is designed to prepare your mind and body for what will happen. The first part is designed to throw out your inner self as far and as wide as you can manage. Most potential can manage our solar system. Some only get as far as the moon or Mars but few can manage to go beyond our solar system and cast out to the other stars. I deliberately tried to send you out further to see how far you could go. What you did, how far you went. I doubt even I went that far." There was a note of awe in Snapes tone that Harry pushed aside.  


"What about the second part?"  
"The second part of the mediation involves gathering yourself and the magic back to yourself. By getting a hold of the magic you have now, you will find it easier to gather and control your magic after. The least likely accidents will happen. All that raw power is very dangerous without conscious control. You are going to have to control that temper of yours Potter."  
"What will I be able to do with it?" Harry asked, a bit frightened by the prospect. Snape paused and picked up a salt shaker. He frowned at him in concentration and suddenly it turned into a tiny shot glass.  
"Wandless magic Mr Potter. Is only the beginning of it." Snape placed the glass down.  
"Estelle said that magic is controlled by re-directing it to go through the wand which is designed to pull the magic from you and do as it is bid. The chants we learn is partly to create focus but it is also for the wand, so it knows what you want it to do. It some how is able to know what a spell is for and directs your magic to react appropriately."  
"Paying attention for once Potter? I am surprised. Anything can happen when magic is involved. I am sure you experienced as a child that things happened especially when you were emotional but you had no control, it was unpredictable, it was as likely to do something unexpected and not always wanted and was never consciously done"  
"Yeah." Harry couldn't help but think of the time at the zoo and smiled slightly.  
"Dare I ask?" Snape lifted an eyebrow at him, his expression unreadable. Harry flushed.  
"Oh, just remembering the time I set a cobra on Dudley."  


Snape cocked his head and burst out in laughter. Not the ugly, bitter laughter, but more like a snigger, which for Snape was as good as bursting out in laughter.  
"That must of being interesting. By learning to direct your magic to go through the wand however, you gain conscious control over your magic. Most are satisfied with the idea that the wand is the channel through which your magic can be controlled. Higher Wizards and witches know however that all it takes is the right focus and the mental ability to force the magic to do as asked. It makes things both easier and harder. Magic amplifies the mental as well; there is no higher wizard who has this power without the metal ability to also control it. The magic and the mental must be equal for them to be able to have control over their power."  
"All right. Makes things easier as well as harder you said. What do you mean exactly?"  
"Your mind must be able to direct your magic much the same as your wand does now. The magic will come more easily to you which makes it harder to control. You may have noticed that I still use my wand, especially for lesser magic or very hard magic, why?"  


"Oh, you mean, " Harry had to think on this a moment. "The magic, you have a lot of it, so, it's excitable I guess, you might mean to stun a mouse but there is so much magic in you it only takes a touch to stun the entire brood without trying. So by getting the wand to take the magic from you and controlling the magic for you saves you from trying to control all that magic for that one simple, single thing. One the other hand when you need a lot of magic, gaining control of all that magic is tricky. You can try your best but you can't be entirely sure you'll be entirely successful, the wand just makes sure. But wouldn't you have to be careful not to let the wand draw the magic out of you? It would either overload the wand or burn the wand out wouldn't it?" Harry frowned.  
"The trick is to let the wand take enough magic to be able to control what your doing without it trying to take all you've drawn up for the spell. Learning how is trickier then it sounds. I imagine that even when we return to Hogwarts, you'll probably still be spending time with myself teaching you what to do with your new abilities. While you're mental ability will thankfully be amplified and you will gain some knowledge, of magic in general and with luck a few things besides but you still will need to be taught how to use your new abilities and learn everything that your mind doesn't conveniently supply for you." 

"This school does no more then ready you, teach you the essentials, puts a few ideas in your heads about what you should be able to do, make sure you can control your magic, and then sends you off again. It is part of the job of the personal tutor to teach you what to do next."  
"Oh." Harry blinked thoughtfully.  
"Albus will no doubt help all he can but he has other concerns as well. Even Tonks and McGonigal might help. It can be lonely, being one of only a few"  
"But I'll still have Ron and Hermione." Harry frowned at him challengingly.  
"Oh they will be there but you will find it won't be the same. It will never be the same again."  


Harry was glad Professor Snape had told him to read ahead. He understood most of what was covered already.  
"One of the things you need to start thinking about is which way you think the magic will take you. The question is often asked, do you shape the magic, or does the magic shape you and the answer is still not known exactly. Most lessor wizards are unaware of how the magic can drive you a certain direction. They may find that they are stronger with charms, or stronger with enchantments, they may have in interest in becoming an Auror, or work for a wizard bank. It is more generalised and they fall into something that suits them well enough and they are satisfied. You will find you won't have that luxury. But finding out who you are, what your interests are now. By uncovering your strengths, you can figure out how your magic is likely to reveal itself. It may not turn out exactly how you might think but your main gift will be linked to a current interest or skill you have, it's just a matter of pin pointing what."  
"What does that mean?" Harry asked Snape later. Snape sat in his black leather chair. Harry hadn't seen Estelle all day but he'd being told it may take her some days before she will be trusted to have enough control of it to go out of the specialized rooms and go about in public again. Snape steepled his hands as he sat back.  


"It's a little hard to explain. Strong emotion can cause magic to do unexpected things. But personality, the likes, dislikes, character traits, the things that makes a person different, individual, special, is also affected and does affect magic"  
"That's contradictory." Harry challenged. Snape's eyes flashed at him and he bit his tongue quickly. Somehow in less the three days, he'd gotten comfortable talking with Snape and for the most part Snape had being..., affable? Not that that stopped the man from being, well Snape. Those scowls, sneers, smirks and that cold, ,br />deliberate tone still were all there. "Yes, but true. Not even high wizards know for sure which affects which. As adverse as I am to the idea, let's take myself as an example. This is a generalisation mind you." Harry nodded, he was lying on his bed and he propped his head up, looking at Snape attentively, curious as to what he would say.  
"I was never, popular." Snape glared at him and Harry wisely kept his thoughts to himself. "It stands to reason then that my strengths are towards areas that doesn't require me to be, friendly" Harry raised an eyebrow at that.  
"Oh do stop that!" Snape snapped at him. "I do not get on well with people; they annoy, irritate and get on my nerves, the less I have to deal with them, the better for everyone. Satisfied." Harry shrugged.  
"So Potions, because you don't need any help, it can be just you and the cauldron and no bothersome, idiotic students."  
Snape grunted in a way that could have being an agreement.  
"Of coarse potions isn't the only thing that can be attributed to that particular personality quirk." Harry grinned at that.  


"So what else?"  
"Can not believe I am doing this." Snape muttered, Harry assumed mostly to himself. Snape let out a sigh. "It's fair enough to say I've always had an interest toward potions, it wasn't the be all and end of all things like so many assume. I had other interests. Like Dark Arts. The sort of upbringing I had did predispose me toward some of the nastier aspects of magic."  
"Brew fame, bottle glory, put a stopper of death and all that." Harry mused.  
"You remember that?" Snape glared at him. Harry blushed slightly.  
"That first day in class is one I have never forgotten. It all sounded rather glorious until you ruined it with that celebrity shit and giving me hell." Harry hurriedly shut his jaw before his tongue could run off on him again.  
"Humph." Snape stared at him. "Most of all I wanted a way to escape and yet I also craved recognition, I wanted the glory of being known added with the animosity of not being sort out by anyone in particular who did not share or could not tolerate my, personality quirks or at least have the same sort of interests."  
"Known and recognised but still invisible." Harry mused, he could recognise and understand that. 

"There are a lot of other things as well. I always quite liked gardens and plants. I am stronger in potions that require plants. There is enormous satisfaction in taking the time to go out of your way to travel through some place, even the forbidden forest on the elusive hunt for some particular ingredient and taking the trouble and care of harvesting and bringing it back and then using it in a potion." Snapes voice had gone deep and almost soft. "Potions don't ask a lot of you. Just that you make them correctly."  
"Which is asking plenty to my mind." Harry shifted to his side. Snape met his gaze and his lips curved up slightly.  
"I think it is safe enough to say that you won't find yourself developing an obsession for potions any time in the near future Mr Potter. It shall be interesting to see what your magic does actually?"  
"Hopefully it'll be something in Defence against Dark Arts." Harry yawned, it had been a long day in many ways. "I'm good at that"  
"Considering what you did to the Dark Lord at the tender age of one Mr Potter. Your odds are pretty good. Go to bed"  
"Yes sir." Harry scrambled in under his sheets. "Night Professor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New job + Medical condition + Australian Winter = Not good. Apologies for the wait. I don't want to give too much away about the direction of this story but it was started before the mention of Horcrux's and Deathly Hallows.


	6. Weekend? Already?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best Summer Harry has ever had. Editing now complete.

Harry found that the week past very quickly and one of the hardest things he had to get use to was actually the translation spell. He found that his head filled in English whatever the other might be saying. It made for disjointed sentences, words that did not quite match the subject and some sentences rather oddly worded.It also left him feeling like he'd somehow being placed in one of those weird foreign films with a really bad voice over. He had a vague recoil of one Asian film particular, stared by someone called Jackie Chan. He remembered his Uncle Veron caught him watching and switched channels. Saying that it was giving him ideas, and was too educational or something.The main problem with it however was that it was no help whatsoever when a person was _technically_ speaking English. At which point Harry had to slog through various accents, bad English and broken sentences to figure out what the hell they were talking about.

The Professor teaching Theory of Magic was case in point. He was supposedly speaking English but the rather thick Russian accent meant Harry had to think twice before he could work out what the man was saying. By which point the Professor had already moved on.In all it was rather frustrating and Harry was rather glad the weekend was finally here. It did not mean that he didn't have any work. He was expected, for instance, to attend the Meditation class, come hail, rain and, well not snow but still. Snape had also made sure he as signed up for the Duelling club, which Harry didn't mind so much. Then of course was all the studying and homework expected. Harry couldn't help but feel Hermione would be thrilled to know he was studying this much and would love to know about all he was learning. What he hadn't expected was how much he actually wanted to know about magical theory, the composition of spells, the woven network created between mental thought, will, spoken word and wand movement and even the chemical basis behind potion creations.  


Despite all this, there was time off and if you were willing to dress like a muggle and deal with muggles, there were tours you could go on. Since he and his fellow students were not eighteen, they could go to the various wineries but not buy anything. Since Snape seemed determined to keep him within sight, Harry found himself dragged along to many and lost track of what and how much Snape actually bought. This was more than made up by seeing some of the galleries, eating some of the most delicious food, visited the local chocolate factory and wondering around some of the beautiful forests. He soon found out it was wildflower season and some of the flowers were amazing. Australia was an odd land and made up with some rather odd plants and some even odder animals. By the end of the day he's seen wild kangaroos, a single emu and even heard Kookaburras.  


The next day turned out even more interesting because he signed up for surfing and scuba diving lessons and got to see a good deal of Australia's underwater beauty as well, which included a whale sighting, not far from the coast and a pod of dolphins joining with the surfers. He even built a sand castle. He also got a mouthful of sand, several stinging cuts, a bruised head and a litre of ocean up his nose. That didn't even include where else he managed to find sand when he finally dragged himself in and had a much needed shower. In all, he thought it had being absolutely brilliant and had never had so much fun in his life. He felt rather sorry for those who stayed behind. Those who were like Snape had being. With ideas about pure bloods and mudbloods. Who ever knew this would turn out to be the best summer yet?  


That night a group of Australian wizards fired up their BBQ's, cooked up a few "snags" for every one and everyone sat down on rugs on the lawn with their drinks charmed cool while various Professors tried to out do each other with flashy firework spells that banged loudly before exploding in colour and sparkles before fizzing away. Harry sprawled on the rug he'd dragged out here, reaching for the pile of notes he had. With him was a basket of food and seated alongside was an African boy named Nick. A fairly average common name as names went but one heck of a lot easier to pronounce then his real name. Harry had given up trying to figure it out. Seated behind him in a black leather armchair was Snape who seemed to be prestigiously ignoring everything in favour of a book.  


Harry knew that because of his own past, the Professors here had him watching the potentials that had a similar history to him, but the effect Snape was trying to produce would have being more realistic if the man actually turned the pages more often. Snape had a light sphere that hanged conveniently in the right place in mid air and Harry used it to occasionally glance though the notes Snape made him bring out here. He wasn't picking up much but the atmosphere was comfortable, which was the last thing he would have expected to experience with Snape throwing him a glance now and again just to check that he was actually looking at his notes and scowling when he notice Harry wasn't exactly paying much attention to said notes. 

-ssHPss-  


It was now the second week and Nick was only just starting here. It was strange how much had changed in such a short amount of time. He no longer thought twice about the fact he slept in the same room as Snape. He had gotten use to the fact that while he knew perfectly well someone wasn't speaking to him in English, he understood them as if they were. He was use to using every spare moment he could studying and writing notes, and then writing a neat copy for Snape to look over. He was use to dealing with Snape's personality quirks and found himself not minding at all. Snape was surprisingly easier to get along with then he ever expected the teacher to be capable of and actually found himself enjoying having someone familiar there with him.  


Taking an apple as he walked along the cliff, he watched the waves crash over the rocks. It was lunch time and his books sat on a nearby table. Weighted down by various objects. It was surprisingly windy in these parts. Finishing his apple, he moved back to his table and went back to his work. He wrote out a neat copy the notes on how inner dreams and desires could affect the magic he got and how to unlock yourself to get an idea on not only what his main magic might be but the forms his minor magic might take. He wasn't sure if he wanted to think about it. He wanted to protect himself and his friends. He wasn't eager to die by Voldemorts hands. His perchance for getting into trouble, his curiosity, wanting to find out things he thought meant he would get magic in Defence against the Dark Arts. Which would be very handy. Even Snape thought he had a good chance. Now if only the magic would co-operate.  


Harry sighed. He could almost imagine he was actually on holidays. With the gulls over head and the wildflowers and everything. On one hand he missed Hogwarts and on the other. He never wanted to leave this place.  
"It says that sometimes a person who had almost no magic could actually become a better then average wizard or even a higher wizard." Nick frowned slightly at that. Harry nodded.  
"I read about that. Snape told me that magic was completely random, uncontrollable. That there was no use in being able to predict what it might do. That we can gain some control on it and bind it to our needs but that magic itself was truly untameable, completely wild and rather unpredictable. He didn't say that all at once but you get the idea."  
"But trained witches and wizards don't do uncontrolled magic?"  
"Not necessarily true." Harry flushed slightly. "The trick is that they learn to direct their magic through the wand, you will also find that an angry witch or wizard will automatically reach for their wand. We learn to hex rather then hit rather early at school, or at least I did. The wand absorbs the excess power build up that happens instinctively, even if they are not touching it, so long as it is near. So that they do not send out a burst of power when they lose their temper. Sometimes the wand isn't enough though. If you are angry enough, the wand is overloaded and can't contain that much power." Harry said, remembering when Estelle taught him some of this, and learnt it himself as well.


	7. Knowledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's winding up to Harry's transition and he's learning more about magic and what is about to happen. I haven't 100% finished with editing but it's about half done. Hope you don't mind too much, I wanted to get this posted sooner rather than later.

Australian slang a 'snag' is another word for a sausage. A few snags on the barbie. (BBQ) Usually means sausages and onion. Together with some bread and tomato sauce (ketchup?), which all adds up to a hotdog. By the way, do they have Jaffas overseas? It's about the size of a medium to large marble, covered in the same sort of shell casing as a smarty ( I know smarties have made it overseas), coloure red and filled with orange flavoured chocolate. . It's my favouriate type of chocolate.

ssHPss  


Harry reached out a hand and blindly scooped up a handful of smarties. One thing Australians were defiantly good for was their chocolate. Though these days it was easier to get things like tim-tams, smarties and apparently even violet crumbles and jaffas in England. Since he'd had very little contact with muggle shopping, the Dursley's preferring to leave him at home, he'd never even heard of them before. Plus Dudley's obsession with candy had actually rather put him off them for the most part.  


He pondered the book perched in front of him, leant up against a pillow, then glanced at Nick. The African boy was writing something intensely and Harry found himself smiling. While he wasn't muggle born, he'd being muggle raised and it amounted to basically the same thing. As such he'd always being taught to look down on things like witch doctors and other supposedly savage, out of date beliefs that did not fit in modern day ideals of science and technology. Learning that witchdoctors were valued in wizarding society as any other profession had being quite an adjustment. Nick wasn't the only one he'd come across whose culture he'd being taught was primitive and worthless in today's society and had to learn that, in magical society, they were seen as equals and even superiors.  


He'd being taken back when Professor Snape had spoken to a Native American Indian with a diffidence that was frankly astounding.The learning of cultures, beliefs and the varying approaches to magic was in it's self a very interesting education. Though he was learning that while the approaches were different, the underlying principles and base magic was ultimately the same. The biggest difference was the casualness of which certain magic was discussed. Magic he'd so far being taught was dark, dangerous and illegal. Magic based on sex and blood, and various other elements he'd rather not think too much on.  


While the idea didn't entirely appeal to him, Snape was the best person to ask. Besides, all the people he had approached had told him this was the job of his teacher. Professor Snape had looked at him rather broodily when he'd finally found the guts to ask.  
"Humm." The lips tightened and eyes narrowed. "It's a problem occurring in many wizarding societies that have had too much exposure to muggles. Wizards get the idea to 'modernise' their beliefs. While some changes have no doubt being beneficiary, our society has taken the step to far the other way, where the modernisation has actually caused wizarding society to go backwards, instead of forwards. By restricting magic that, while dangerous, if used and implemented the right way, can be extremely beneficiary. The strongest and most powerful magic is one that requires the user to give something of himself. Blood, hair, sweat, tears, pain, pleasure."  
"There is only so much a wizard can do with so called 'safe magic.' The void of balance in this matter is the reason why the Dark Lord has managed to get such a hold in England. The impact of muggles and muggle born has being substantial and yet subtle on current wizarding society as you know it. It is why so many believe magic should only be taught to fellow wizarding families, not to those like Miss Granger. Her continued campaign to free the house elves, while well meant, is viewed with contempt by pure-bloods and most house elves alike"  


"But, Dobey..."  
"Is a cross-bred mutant, if truth be told. Mr Malfroy likes his experimentations." Harry shuddered at the sheer coldness in Snape's voice. His mouth was suddenly very, very dry. "That was hardly what we were discussing however. High wizards are a rare breed Potter. We know too much, by and large, to be properly considered as light wizards. Powerful magic requires more then just innate power, though it helps. You can't just keep using magic, strong magic without repercussions, not without giving something back in return. Things that respectable wizards consider dark. Yet we can not be dark either"  
"Why not?" Harry asked curiously.  
"It has to do with the knowledge gained after transition. Knowledge involves more than just the mind Potter. It's spiritual, emotional, personal. A higher can not become purely dark because it requires a selfishness, a greed for power, money, wealth, station that no higher could support because the knowledge given to them doesn't support that kind of thinking. Transition changes you in more than just one way, it changes you in multiple ways. Mind, spirit, soul, magic."  


"You were dark once though weren't you?" Harry had to ask, had to know. Dark eyes glittered dangerously. "I mean, you wanted to be a Death Eater, you practised the Dark Arts and all that"  
"I was many things before I was sixteen but I wasn't truly dark, not yet Potter. Though probably well on the way."  
"Then you became a high wizard. Went through Transition." The thin lips twisted unpleasantly.  
"Quite. I had all the power I ever dreamed of having, and a conscious to go with it."  
Harry stared, not quite what to make of that little confession. It was times like this that he remembered this was Professor Snape, Hogwarts Potions Professor and terror of most students. Yet despite it all, he was coming too actually like him. It was entirely too disturbing.  


HPssHp  


Harry had a second reminder of just who Severus Snape was a couple of days later. When, while studying on the couch, the sudden shattering of glass immediately brought his head up. In all this time he'd never known Snape to break something. His eyes widened when he saw Snape was gripping his left arm fiercely, his face contorted with pain.  
"Sir?" The hesitant word fell from his lips. Black eyes blazed at him.  
"You will continue as normal and stay out of trouble until I return, is that clear?" The vicious words were spat out and Harry had a brief moment to wonder if this is were Snape got his temper from. He didn't have to as to know that Voldemort was calling. He simply nodded mutely before Snape swept fluidly out the door. In just that moment, his summer had being ruined. Until now it had become a holiday, with benefits.  


Sure he had classes and there was so much to study, but really that was a small price to pay for being here and he LIKED learning this stuff. It was more then interesting and it made him wish he could have learnt it sooner. He'd being to the library and to Flourish and Botts and knew you didn't get these sorts of books and this sort of learning. Typical wizarding books gave you the spell, how to pronounce it, what to use it for, its history, the accompanying wand movement and not much else.  


Here he was learning how magic worked, the principles it worked on, how spells could be developed and more besides. He knew Hermione would love it here but he didn't have to ask to know that she wouldn't be welcome in this society and he also didn't have to ask to know he couldn't tell her, or Ron about highers. Harry sighed and looked at the mess of shattered glass and smoking not quite liquid. It was a thick and strangely solid liquid. He knew better then to try to clean it up while the professor was gone. He'd received very strict instructions about. Snape's lab that mostly comprised of two instructions.  
"Stay Out"  
"Don't touch anything!"  
He spent most of the night just staring at the spot, unable to concentrate on his work. He discovered that the stuff was phosphorus and glowed hot pink in the dark. It resulted in a rather odd nightmare about a strange hot pink blob out to kill him. It was a change from his usual Voldemort induced nightmares. One thing he was grateful for was the wards Snape put on these rooms to stop him from getting visions. He asked why that hadn't being done before, Snape scowled.  
"Ask the headmaster." Was the prompt reply.  


The next day turned out to be a very long way. Or so it felt. Everyone noticed that Snape had mysterious vanished overnight and didn't comment. Or at least the highers didn't. He had the impression by the end of it that most highers knew what Snape did and while they didn't exactly approve and obvious worried about him, they understood the importance of it. When Nick asked him however, he was evasive. He wasn't sure what was for him to share and what wasn't be he was fairly sure that this was one firmly slotted under the, do not share section.  
He'd certainly had had enough practise over the years at keeping secrets and while he got on well with Nick and liked him as a friend, he simply wasn't as close to him as he was with Ron and Hermione. Or simply hadn't known him for long enough. He hadn't realised just how much he had come to rely on Snape's presence and he knew the day had being all but a complete loss as he'd not particularly managed to absorb any of the information given, which he knew Snape would berate him about. He hadn't even managed to mediate properly. His routine had being thrown into a complete mess all because Snape wasn't around. It was ridiculous. Considering how much he hated the man after last year.  
Some how, in some way, Snape had seemed to replaced the part Sirus had played in his life up to this moment, and he couldn't completely resent Snape for it. He missed Sirius, still grieved for him and wished impossibly to change what had happened. Coming here had helped take his mind off the guilt complex but hadn't erased it completely. But being here, some place completely different, so removed from his normal life had made it easier to forget and move on. Being with the Dursely's had given him too much time to dwell over what ifs, which hadn't being healthy and it also meant he'd already done plenty of grieving and having something like a fresh start in many ways had being something of a blessing.  


Removed form the situation, from his life, his friends, the school for the most part. he could finally start to look at the whole thing objectively, recognise his faults, Sirius's faults and even Snape's faults and had to recognise each of them were human, had made different choices and none of them were really to blame. Though different choices could have being made, there was no guarantee that the change wouldn't mean that someone else died, perhaps someone he didn't know as well as he had Sirius but someone who still had a life, still had people who cared and loved them and whose life would continue where it otherwise might not of. It didn't make Sirius's death any easier to bear but he had come to a sort of acceptance over it. Rather then just trying to ignore it ever happened.  


When Snape turned up unannounced at dinner, Harry was surprised at the level of relief he felt. Though it was rather hard to tell, he rather thought Snape moved a bit more stiffly then usual and seemed tenser, if that was even possible.  
"I have being informed that your young friend Estelle will be let out briefly tomorrow. It might be of benefit to speak with her." The black eyes bore into his and Harry just nodded and smiled. Snape was right, as he always was. He asked to be allowed to talk with her. They might have let her out of the room, but only across from the hall, nearby in case they needed to quickly shove her back in again, behind the shielded and warded walls that would keep her new strength contained until she could control them.

"How do you feel?" Harry asked Estelle a few days later. "It's so hard to explain. I know everyone says that but Merlin. Until you experience it. It's just beyond words" Estelle was glowing, her face was joyful and it was obvious her mind was wasn't entirely with him.  
"What can you tell me then?"  
"The power, it is so strong. It's white hot and it sears though you, you know it's painful but you can't feel it because it's just too hot. It seems to go on forever"  
"I know that part." Harry smiled, though he was more then a little frightened about the prospect.  
"When you come to, it's like you've drunk more then was it good for you, you're giddy, woozy, dizzy. The world spins but that's all right because the world is a damned brilliant place and you love everything, never mind the damn blast headache or the nauseous rolling in your stomach, everything is just dandy thanks."

Harry chuckled slightly. "What happens next?"  
"You sober up." Estelle gave a wry smile. "Oh it's still rather heady but your head starts to clear up a bit. First thing that happens is you mediate. You are already starting to get to the point where throwing yourself out and then gathering it all together again is becoming instinctive." Harry nodded in agreement.  
"I had the brief sensation of stars, millions of stars in the black ink space before instinct came over and I was gathering myself back. It was like nothing I had seen. I mean the first time I sent myself out I saw the planets by I'm told only a few potential are strong enough to throw themselves further then our own little solar system"  
Harry flushed slightly and Estelle gapped at him a moment.  
"I, wow. You know how things become like instinctual after transition. You know things you couldn't possibly normally know?" She asked him.  
"Sure." Harry nodded.  
"Well I know some how all the higher wizards, what level they are on in comparison to the others. You're Professor Snape is in among the strongest known. No wonder you have him as a personal instructor. I'm not sure if I should mention this..." Estelle frowned slightly.  
"What?"  
"Even though I know you will have that knowledge soon enough and I'm doing my best to act normal and everything, use normal words without bursting out about how the magical immunities within the solar plexus of the average wizard is minimally proportional to the amount of energy partials they can control"  
"Huh?" Harry blinked at her and she smiled a bit sadly.   
"Exactly, I can't entirely keep the thought away that everyone who isn't a higher witch or wizard already is a bit on the stupid side." She said apologetically. "No one but a higher could understand each other and while it's common enough for a higher to marry an ordinary witch or wizard, high wizards tend to pair up together some high wizards will never consider it. Your Professor Snape is one I believe who could not tolerate someone who is at least a higher."   
"I can well believe that." Harry snorted.  
"Yes, but think it through. Snape is so powerful he is well beyond even most highers, there just aren't many able to match him. But you might."  
Harry unconsciously took a step back, swallowing heavily. "You think he might...?" He couldn't even say it. The whole idea of Snape possibly looking to him for, well, that! Was more then just surreal, it was terrifying and not a little absurd. In a hysterical sort of way.   
"Think about it Harry. I don't know Professor Snape well, basically only a day but I've heard at lot about him, about what he's like. Even to highers he can be bitter, arrogant, sharp tongued, menacing and absolutely terrifying. Yet with you, he's actually seems to be trying his utmost to be actually kind. I think he sees your potential and he's, well he is being patient, explaining what he feels everyone should just KNOW. I think he's thinking that you could be compatible, after you've being through the transition." 

Harry blinked at her. "Compatible! With Snape! I, that's just, I don't even like guys" "Harry, believe me. That won't be nearly as important after. It's just a body after all. A difference here and there to be sure but so irrelevant in the scheme of things. Look I can't stay long. My control is still inexpert. I'll be leaving in about a week probably. I'll see you again most likely but, nothing will ever be the same again Harry. Everything changes after. I hope we can still be friends, I'll send letters. Maybe after you transform though." She grinned at him before rushing off. 

Harry stared after her, his mind whirling. That was and wasn't the Estelle he'd gotten to know in such a short time. Frankly the whole business of transforming scared him witless, more then a little. He did however, know that it would greatly increase his chances against Voldemort. There was also that niggling little fact that there was absolutely nothing he could do to stop it happening.


	8. Transition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes into transition, soon Harry will be back at Hogwarts finally. I've finally done as much editing as I feel like doing, which probably makes me lazy. Next Hogwarts!

"Back again?" Snape glowered at him, as if annoyed at being interrupted.  
"I," Harry halted to a stop, "wanted to talk to you." That he was even thinking of bringing this up with Snape was odd in itself but marked the fact that he now considered Snape as something of a friend and confidence.  
"I presume this has something to do with that Estelle girl?" Snape broke in, scowling at him.  
"I talked to her.' Harry nodded.  
"Well? Obviously she told you something." Black eyes regarded him steadily. Harry flushed.  
"She told me that a person's sex is less important, relationship wise. After…" There was a slight sneer and a nod.  


"True enough. Most potentials always have a tendency toward being rather open minded about that sort of thing already." A questioning lift of the eyebrow. Harry squirmed.  
"I guess, I mean, I always thought, if I found the right person I wouldn't care but guys, I look and I just, there isn't anything. You know?"  
"You will find that the most attractive thing for a higher Potter is someone's mind, their intelligence. Nothing else. The problem is there are not many of us and so many settle for less. Not that they care less for such a person but that the same level of attraction is not there. Most are perfectly fine with that. Many wizards and witches are stuck in loveless marriage contracts anyway and dalliances are relatively common, accepted even."  


Harry paused and glanced up shyly. "You don't exactly come across as a wizard who would settle for less."A slight snort.  
"I have and found the experience, less then satisfying. I have resigned myself that I am unlikely to find someone by now."  
"But, Estelle suggested..." Harry blushed, hard enough his cheeks burned.  
"Ah." A sneer. "A reminder Potter that just because she has passed transition, does not mean she has all the knowledge of the universe at her disposal. She has a great many things to learn about being a higher, as will you." Harry relaxed slightly. The whole idea had felt a bit too surreal and rather uncomfortable.  


"Right. But, you are being, nice." Harry hesitated on the last word.  
"Potter, there have not been many Potentials I have been asked to aid. Since our numbers are small, when it does happen, I do go out of my way to ensure they are taught what they need to know. I have very little patience in general terms, the fact that I have to wait a mere extra week before I can be reasonably sure of being able to treat you as an intellectual equal makes that easier. A great deal easier then the hundreds of students I deal with on a regular basis whom I know will probably never reach such a status.  


""Ah." In that context, things made a lot more sense. "Right."  
"Was there anything else Potter?"  
"Just a lot of stuff I didn't understand." A twitch of a smile.  
"Why does that not surprise me?" Harry scowled.  
"Well that won't last long and soon you won't be able to tell me I'm stupid."  
"Won't I?" A challenging little gleam. Harry swallowed with fear.  
"Um, I'll take that back." He said quickly.  
"Good idea. As I said, going through transition will not mean you have the entire knowledge of the universe Potter, there will be plenty left you will have to learn." 

ssHPss 

Harry sat in the library, going through a book about ancient rites and how they could be applied in more modern times. Magic that by Ministry standards was outlawed, and he had to wonder at the stupidity of the Wizarding world to ban such useful bits of magic because of the darkness implied since many of these rites involved blood, or trickster spirits like imps and called upon energies most witches or wizards no longer even believed in. He was uncomfortably aware of the eyes on him. Many believed he should be in isolation already but Snape thought otherwise. His professor had done one of his disappearing acts, which Harry guessed to mean Voldemort needed his Death Eater. That left a few highers a bit on edge, and as a result he was watched rather more closely then he was comfortable with.  


"Harry?" Harry glanced up and broke into a smile when he saw Estelle approach.  
"Hi. Out finally are you?" He grinned.  
"Yes." Estelle looked at him a bit more closely. "Shouldn't you be in isolation? I can feel the build up of power within. You have to be close." Harry winced.  
"So everyone has being saying, but Snape seems to think I have a bit to go yet."  


"More?" Estelle looked stunned by the idea. "That's a lot of power." Harry shifted again, uncomfortable.  
"I guess."  
"Well apparently I still have a couple days of work I need to do before my tutor feels it will be safe to let me loose into society again."Harry nodded.  
"Yeah, Snape has been working on keeping my temper and emotions more stable. It hasn't exactly being fun." Fun being a deceptive term, as Harry had been nicely reminded of just how much he had hated Professor Snape before this summer and Snape knew all the buttons to push. Still Harry had learned to stop himself before he was too worked up to seek inner calm; meditation had a two-fold purpose after all. There was also a higher that Harry could only describe as a psychiatrist with whom he had to discuss 'issues' over with and to deal with emotional problems.  


"Dealing with people is a magic all its own Potter." Snape informed him."Most are not aware of it, and it is something I lack but the Headmaster specializes in. It is the reason why he is headmaster and leader of the order. He knows how to see peoples' motivations and to figure out what the Dark Lord thinks, or feels how he might act. Because of this, the Headmaster can figure out a great deal of what he might do next and move against him. Part of my job is to supply him with the information he needs to keep doing this, in order to prevent the Dark Lord from getting stronger."  
"However it also means that even Dumbledore, as strong as he is, does not have the insight and knowledge of how to actually destroy Voldemort. He has developed a very good idea but has reached a bit of a dead end as far as his mind and his specialized magic will allow. We may be powerful and we may be smart, but we are also limited to the area of magic granted to us. What precisely makes you special? It is unclear what has made an otherwise worthless seer present a true prophecy."  


Harry sighed and gave Estelle a look over. "So how are you finding it? Getting a handle on your power, I mean?"  
"Hard." Came the wry smile. "Simple spells are now harder to control then some of the trickier spells. It's also, superb. I seem to have a knack for transfigured items, if something has changed shape, I can usually work out what it had been originally. I have yet to work out if I can change shape but that is going to take time, I'm told. There's too much other stuff I need to learn and master first."  
"There you are Potter." Harry jumped and looked back to see Snape in a tattered robe and weaving slightly on his feet. With an even tread Snape stormed forward and regarded him a moment. "I doubt you will start your transition within the next day, but we had best put you into isolation in any case. If you will excuse us?" He glanced at Estelle.  
"Of course. Good luck Harry."  


Snape packed away his potions stuff and Harry moved to put his things away into a trunk. "Do not take everything Potter, just the essentials. Everything else will be stored until we leave. Is that clear?"  
"Yes professor." Harry separated his things picking out what he wanted to take with him. He would need blank parchment, ink and quills along with a few personal items and two or three changes of clothes. He also picked out a few books, so far he had barely had time to do his school homework and hoped he would find time now before he had to go back to Hogwarts. He didn't need anything else and so he stuffed the rest away. When he was done, he took the two trunks into the main room and saw that Snape had taken apart his temporary lab.  
A few moments later he was in a plain white room, square with two beds, a table and chairs, plus a door into a bathroom. That was it. All of the furniture was looking a bit worse for wear. Severus eased himself in a wonky looking high backed chair.  
"Are you all right sir?" Harry asked uncertainly.  
"The Dark Lord has figured out you are not with the Dursley's and not at the Burrow. He's a touch upset." Came the sarcastic drawl.  
"Oh. Um, you are all right though?"  
"I'll be fine Potter. My body does not take kindly to the necessary bowing, scraping, and kissing hems while being struck by curses quite like it use to."  
"Is there anything I can do?"  
"This close to your transition? I would rather not risk it thank you. I will need a clear head as well, which means I also must keep clear of  
any potions." A faint grimace.  
"Right sorry."  


Harry sat on one of the beds. He glanced about the room, then at the panel, which was slid shut and locked from the outside. With a sigh, he went to get his things. It was going to be a long wait until he could get out of here again. He might as well get settled in.  
Harry glanced up from the book he was going through. Now Severus Snape wasn't much company and usually that was fine, but after a day of nothing but Snape, well he felt he should get some sort of reward for putting up with the git. He could admit he had learned to get along with the professor and even sort of liked him, but being locked up in a room for a whole day was a bit much in his mind.  
"If you tell me you are bored one more time Potter…" A warning from irritated black eyes had Harry turning back to his book silently. So far he found it much more satisfying to do things like sing 'a hundred green bottles hanging on a wall', or 'I know a song that will get on your nerves'[ and 'the song that never ends'. Then there were old classics like 'the wheels on the bus go round and round'. Guaranteed to put someone on edge, especially someone like Severus Snape.  
Harry knew plenty of such songs, too much muggle primary school and Dudley driving teachers' nuts as once he started, they could not get him to stop. The situation had not been helped by the fact Dudley rarely remembered the actual words and still couldn't count down from a hundred correctly. Severus refused to play word games like, I spy; not that there was anything in the room anyway. Harry didn't know what wizard children did to pass time, and when he had asked, about two hours ago, Severus had given him one of those looks. The 'you are nothing more then a minuscule organism that I can squash whenever I want to' looks and then deliberately went back to writing out lesson plans for next year's classes.  
Harry had asked about his classes but the response was some elaborate mumble jumble he couldn't de-code anyway. It was followed with an order to read the books Severus brought with him. Harry had flicked through them. Potions, Potions, Advanced Potions. He had paused on one geared toward defense until he realized that was also geared towards potions.  
"It's nice to have a passion and all Snape." He spoke up briefly. "I know you can't help this obsession thing, being a higher and all, but surely even you have interests other then potions."  
"Terrorizing students." A neutral response. Harry snorted slightly.  
"That I can believe."  
"I believe I mentioned a liking for plants, specifically ones I can use."  
"Did you?" Harry frowned. "I've forgotten."  
"Should I offer some expression of astonishment?" A dry tone.  
"Don't bother on my account." Harry grinned.  
"I won't." A statement vaguely amused.  
"You are not as evil as students like to think are you."  
"Careful Potter." A smirk. "Besides, considering what some of your lessons have been on, there are some who would consider you now as evil as I am."  


"It's stupid, the laws on so called Dark Magic, though I admit some of it is justified."  
"Indeed." Harry sighed, Snape had returned his attention onto his notes again. A weird tingle brushed through him.  
"What the?" Harry sat up. He looked at his fingers which were still buzzing, so were his toes.  
"It's starting then?" Severus rose from the table and came closer. A warm sort of shiver started then. A little panicked, Harry glanced over at Snape.  
"I would lie down if I were you." A recommendation Harry complied with. His body was starting to feel like it had been sunburned.  
"Relax Harry. It will be easier if you just let it happen." Harry screwed up his nose slightly but forced himself to give in to the< growing feeling his skin was burning. A cool hand was placed on his head.  
"That's it. It will get very painful soon. Ride it out Harry." The use of his name sounded a bit strange coming out of Snape's mouth. He arched his head back as his muscles clenched with pain. This was as bad as cruciatus and getting worse.  
"Easy now, let it go Harry," Soothing tones and encouragement were muttered as his gut flared up and then, fire, a blazing flame of white hot heat, burning him to ash.  
"Breathe Harry. Release." Suddenly he lay gasping and trembling and the pain was gone. He giggled, feeling rather dizzy; everything seemed hilarious all of the sudden.  
"You said my name." He blinked at the multiple Snapes. "One of you did." He tried to focus but that was only making his nauseous. "Urg!"  
"Wonderful." A smirk. Harry cringed at the fierce headache that pounded away.  
"Did you, did, you, Snape." He giggled again; words were very strange things weren't they. Awkward and so useless really.  
"Yes Potter?" Amusement. Harry blinked.  
"I forgot." He laughed suddenly and groaned again at the headache.  
"Let this be a lesson in not drinking too much alcohol Potter." Harry squinted as he tried to see if the blurring heads were smirking at him.  


"Stop moving." He reached out a hand to try and stop the heads. His wrist was clasped.  
"Close your eyes for now Harry, until you start feeling a bit more yourself."  
"Poison me."  
"Was that a request or an accusation?" The chortle sounded too bizarre in his addled state.  
"Both." Snape was right; closing his eyes did help stop that dizzy, woozy sensation. He rubbed at his head.  
"Rest a little while Potter"  
"I was Harry." He complained.  
"Yes, yes. Here, some water might help." A glass. Harry sipped at it.  
"Tasteless."  
"I am not going to poison you." Amusement again. "I've worked too hard to get you to this point"  
"Right. He sipped again. His headache seemed to be easing. He cautiously started to sit up. The dizziness was not too bad either. He cautiously opened his eyes. Well Snape still had two heads but it was better. He continued to feel giddy. He frowned. Now that he could think again, all sorts of things suddenly made complete and utter sense. "You know, I think you are far more attractive now." He blurted out, upon realizing Estelle was right about a person's gender being nowhere near as important now. A snort.  
"A life long dream fulfilled." Harry burst out in laughter, because for some reason that had been funny, everything was funny right now. Even that lanky black hair.  


"Why in the process of making highers smarter, must the transition make us look so stupid first?" A suffering sigh.  
"Here I thought Potters were doomed to stupidity." Harry giggled.  
"You do have a compelling point there." Harry fell laughing again, who knew Snape could be so amusing.  
"Thus,I am not so stupid after all."  
"Oh Merlin, it's starting"  
"What?" Harry knew he must look a fool but didn't particularly care right now.  
"Most highers do enjoy a good debate Potter." An explanation.  
"I think I read that." Many things he had read were whirling about right now as his brain neatly slotted bits and pieces into their rightful place. "My head is re-filing itself." he remarked with a grin.  
"The true gift of a higher is an organized mind, and you could use one."  
"Perhaps I could." Harry was astonished to see how much he had learned, not just here but at Hogwarts as well and his brain seemed to be filing information according to whether it was of any use or not. "A lot of Trelawney's stuff is being shoved into the useless pile." He giggled.  
"Can you tell what seems important right now?" Snape asked. Harry frowned.  
"Stuff about magical creatures and defense."  
"Give me specifics Potter!" Snape demanded in his teacher tone.  
"Um, werewolves, thestrals, basilisks, and the best way to deal with them, a bit of defense, like the patronus spell and ridikkulus."  
"Defense against magical creatures with a dark alignment."  
"When you put it like that... but what use is that?"  
"Considering my reservations on whether the Dark Lord is in fact human now, it could be of great use."  
"But, this, it's so ordinary." A pause.  
"Potter, think. Why did someone like Lockhart get away with fooling the public so long?"  
"I don't know"  
"A miracle. Potter admits he doesn't know." A snort. "There are a great many books out there on magical creatures Harry, from a potion standpoint I know most of them are pure nonsense. Why?"  
"Um, I don't know?" Damn it, he was supposed to be smart now. A sigh.  
"There hasn't been anyone who has actively studied how to deal with magical creatures, or understood them and how they worked, in centuries. There is no one with any substantial power. There are also none who professionally won't make things up as they go and who morally do not care if they steal from someone else or from some book for a quick buck. There hasn't been a ministry approved and widely acknowledged Master in the field of magical creatures, either dark or light, and consequently a lot of mis-information has taken the place of what once was known fact. I doubt anyone not from a pureblood family would have access to the right books. These same pureblood families are also not likely to loan anyone a copy."  


Harry thought about this and carefully went though his new mind. "You could be right."  
"Horror of horrors." Snape said with a snarl. Harry grinned. "I know, I'm agreeing with you. Can I know what theories Albus has worked out? I'm sure that if I could just find all the strings, I could pull the right one and he'd unravel."  
"I think there are a number of things we need to do first before we work on the Dark Lord such as meditating. Your brain is processing a lot of new information right now. Meditating will make that easier and help prevent the resulting migraine. It will also help you get your new power under some control." Snape moved onto the floor and settled into meditation pose. Shakily and with his head still whirling, Harry rose and managed to walk over and sit across from him. Taking a breath he automatically sent his inner self out as far as he could. He had a brief impression of galaxies and galaxies of stars. Millions of swirling spirals of tiny dots of light. Then he was gathering himself and the brief sensation was lost. Snape was studying him, as if unsure of what to think. The slight look of awe was back in those dark eyes. Harry looked away from it."Well then, let's see what you can do. Try Expecto Patronum and use as little power as you can."  
Harry nodded and rose. He was glad that the dizziness seemed have gone and so reached for his wand. He knew wands helped control magic; to try without one now would be very dangerous. Once he had control with the wand, then he could try to start to learn without.  
"Expecto Patronum," He made the movement while only putting the force of a lumos behind it. Still the ghostly blue stag burst out and forward with a force he didn't expect. Startled, he watched the huge stag gallop around the room several times, the trailing blue force whipping around searchingly, and then it stood and sniffed at Snape as if debating his potential level of threat. The head tilted at him."It's all right Prongs. Just practicing." Harry said weakly. The stag faded with a disappointed air.  
"A little too strong Potter." Snape looked a little shaky.  
"Sorry." Harry fiddled uncomfortably."I think this is where your main power lies as that spell is a strong defense against dementors and they are one of the darkest creatures afoot, whatever the Ministry may believe."  
"No argument here." Harry agreed.  
"Now try a transfiguration spell." Harry sighed and pointed to a chair and tried to change it into a dresser. He stared at the rather elaborate ensemble he got. It was more like a walk in wardrobe complete with full length mirror and some elaborate carvings covering it.  
"Nice." He admired it, astonished with himself.  
"A bit overdone but acceptable." Snape stared at it looking a bit bemused. "Now, try to return it to its former state."  
"Finite Incantatum." Harry incanted. The dresser promptly shrank into a chair that fell into a pile of splinters. "Oops."  
"The problem with a strong Finite Incantatum is of course that it not only takes off the most recent spell, but removes every spell ever placed on the indicated object." Snape remarked. "Try again and try to concentrate on what your wand is doing. Its job is to control your power. Once you work out what your wand is doing, then you can work out how to do that yourself. Only when you have started to control your own power and how to get magic to do as required, can you hope to learn to use wandless magic." Harry gave Snape a rather pointed look.  
"I know I've only newly completed my transition Snape, but give me some credit." Snape actually looked slightly guilty. He waved a hand to the chair. "Try again and concentrate." Harry raised his wand.  
"No wonder the furniture in here looks shabby."  


He incanted the spell while focusing mentally on his wand, rather then what it was pointed at. This time he was faintly aware of power being drawn from him; from his head, chest, stomach, knees, and feet. What Estelle said about the energy a person could control being minimally proportionate to the magic that existed in the solar plexus suddenly began to make sense. The magic that naturally existed around him was attracted, for lack of a better word, by the fact that the magic in him, which had been activated the moment his power had, was being draw upon.The magic he had and the power he had to draw upon to use it were separate identities and yet one seemed to affect the other. It reminded him of those science classes he'd had about co-dependency. He had to have the magic to have the power but the amount of magic he had relied upon the amount of power his body could provide. With his body having had what amounted to a power surge, he now had a significant increase in magic as well, which meant that more magic was attracted to him when he harnessed it.  


In fact, his power wasn't so much as doubled, it was now tripled. The wand not only drew upon him and his magic, but also the magic attracted to him. It seemed somehow to compress it; the feather in it seemed almost to filter the magic, getting rid of some of the unpredictability. The wood seemed to invoke some form of intelligence and wisdom into the magic to tell it what was wanted. Harry realized that his own will, his internal desire for the chair to be a dresser was also being called upon. His wand did seem to recognize the words he spoke and even the movement he used helped it shape the magic into a tool it could use, however it seemed to rely much more on his own desire, which was, at that moment, to have a chair turn into a dresser.Basically this meant that if he wa s focused enough, all he had to do was point the magic in the right direction and maintain control over it until it hit the object he wanted and did as asked. The fact was however, that even under such direction, the magic was still, inherently unpredictable, which was why the dresser he got this time, while still rather elaborate and larger then necessary, was not the same dresser he'd gotten last time.  


"Can a person, if a spell is cast at them; use their own will to affect the magic thrown at them to modify it? If not enough focus and will is directed on a spell, then isn't it possible that someone with a stronger will could override the spell in order to get the magic to do something different, and magic, being the unpredictable thing it is, having an identity and will of it's own, do so?" Snape looked at him as if he was balmy but seemed to think it over.  
"In theory I suppose it could be possible." The man scowled slightly. "Though if that was what you did as a baby, how would a year old child have the will to override the intention to kill it?"  
"I saw this documentary once on the television," Harry said, "about how a baby's first instinct is to simply survive. I don't really remember much but I do remember wanting to do something to the one who was hurting my parents. They screamed, I was scared and then, I don't know. I just knew I really had to do something to get rid of this person."  
"So you did." Snape rubbed his chin. "Not entirely effective Potter, but it more than did the job for a time. The Dark Lord would not have been expecting any sort of fight from a baby, and probably did not see the need to use much power in order to kill you. He has as much power as is possible to have without being a higher. It is not unknown for an ordinary wizard to actually be more powerful then some of the lower level highers. The potential can die in a person Potter and once the Dark Lord did have it. His inherent darkness however killed it and was never truly realized. His darkness is what makes him so terribly dangerous. Dangerous enough for even the more powerful highers to think twice about facing him head on. Even if we had the knowledge to do so and win, we currently do not."Albus' knowledge of people, how they work, how they react, how they think, was good enough to manage Grindlewald's downfall but the Dark Lord has done something Grindlewald hadn't. Something that meant he survived even though it probably should have killed him under ordinary circumstances. It is something that has even Dumbledore baffled."  
"That's where I come in." Harry slumped at the idea. He still didn't see how exactly defense against dark creatures was going to help at all, despite the apparent rarity in his gift.  
"The fact that the Dark Lord managed to resurrect himself a body, potion or no potion, lends itself to the idea of still being human how?" Snape drawled at him. "He is not a vampire, or a zombie, he is more then either of those. So what exactly is he?" Harry scratched his head.  
"I'm not really sure. I mean he possessed Quirrell in first year. Then there was the unicorn blood. I'm not sure how the diary fits into it, or even if it does."  
"That Harry is why you have a personal tutor to help fill in the gaps and teach you what the magic does not provide. As I have said before, being a higher does not gain you all the knowledge of the universe. Otherwise, the Dark Lord would have been already been dealt with. You have provided an idea I would never have considered, my forte after all, is in potions. The Headmaster of course, has a skill with people, not with anything to do with actual magic. Perhaps only you, with your unique bend toward defense, could have come up with the idea of how a child could possibly survive the killing curse; not only survive it, but do something to the curser in return." Snape actually gave Harry a smile. "Such a thing has never actually being attempted, no higher would be stupid enough to affect the magic being cast at them. "Snape continued. "Even at the age of one Mr. Potter, you showed yourself to be both a true Potter and Gryffindor. We should test this theory of yours, or find out if indeed someone has ever had the same idea. It is not in my usual area of research, I must admit. It will have to wait however, until we are back at Hogwarts." Harry nodded.  


"With magic, being what it is, wild and independent, doesn't that mean that Ravenclaws and, well Hermione, are approaching it the wrong way? By just knowing enough spells and studying enough spell books that don't even touch on theory and the basis of spell structure, they can control and perfect magic. They never get a spell wrong and always know the right one to use, and they get it right the first time."  
"Quite, but being far more focused on getting what they want, they are actually more likely to get it. That will only work as long as they have the right wand with which to do it. Wands as you should know, respond to different people in different ways"  
"Ollivander told me it is the wand that chooses the wizard."  
"Wands do not technically have a mind of their own but the magic objects they comprise of do. If that magic is entirely compatible with the wizard, it is considered a perfect match. It is something Ollivander strives to get every time. What is your wand made of?"  
"Er holly and phoenix feather.""Hm, holly is considered a pure wood. It actively resists dark magic, which probably makes it excellent for defense. Phoenix feathers, well a fair number of wizards actually consider the phoenix to be a dark creature."  
"What? That's ridiculous. Fawkes..."Snape waved him into silence.  
"Phoenixes are relatively solitary. Only a rare handful have ever connected themselves to a wizard. Not much is actually known about them, where or if they breed, what they normally eat, even Dumbledore doesn't know that, or if they migrate. For the most part, they are a mystery. Few people are even aware they have the power to heal. They are known to burn down entire forests, buildings, cities along with anyone who happens to be in them when they get angry enough. The ability to literally burn stone and melt metal is why so many consider them to be dark creatures."  
"It's stupid." Harry said stubbornly.  
"Many things written about supposed dark creatures are stupid Potter. I know there has to be a better way then wolfsbane for those like Remus Lupin, but while my skill in potions is unmatchable, my knowledge of werewolves is moderate at best. Even the old family books about magical creatures aren't providing me much help."  
"How would I become endorsed as a Master by the Ministry, so I can fix that sort of thing?" Snape snorted and gave him a look.  
"I think defeating the Dark Lord should go well in your favor Potter." Slightly amused.  
"Oh, right. So him first." Harry nodded quickly.  
"Try to change the dresser back without reducing it to splinters." Harry merely pointed his wand. He should be able to shape the magic himself through will alone. He had to use a wand however to make sure the magic was controlled, and perhaps this time he could figure out how the feather filtered out some of the undesirable bits of magic. When he directed his energy this time, he paid much more attention to how the wand drew upon his power so he could learn to control how much it could take. With his mind set on returning the dresser to its former state, not just simply removing the spells on it, Harry hoped it wouldn't dissolve into splinters this time. To his relief it didn't, though it did look rather worse for wear then it had.  


"Better Potter. Now, try again." With a sigh, Harry did so. He knew Snape would have him doing this all week if necessary; just to be sure he could control his magic. He made an effort this time, to prevent the wand from pulling in more power then it really needed, and he actually managed something that looked a bit more like a normal dresser, rather then the elaborate ensemble he had conjured before.  


ssHPssIn


	9. Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes back to Hogwarts.

"Are you ready?"  
Professor Severus Snape was attempting to give his most intimidating glare, only after spending so much time in the man's company it no longer affected Harry the same way.  
"Probably not. I did blow up your notes only two days ago."  
In a burst of anger, Harry had in fact reduced all the contents of the room into small pieces. As hard as he tried though, he couldn't quite restore everything, the class schedules Professor Snape had been working on were gone and Snape had looked like he'd a bad case of dandruff for ages. At least Harry had managed to restore the Professor's books back together.

Harry was still getting use to the fact that Snape's limp black hair, yellowed skin and crocked teeth didn't bother him anymore. He was use to thinking the man as unattractive and now even his age and gender was not even a factor. After only been attracted to females, the sudden change of realizing that the human body was fundamentally the same was something he was still adjusting to.

Severus sighed but opened the little room they'd been shut away in anyway. Harry stepped outside for the first time in days and they made their way back to the rooms they'd being using.  
"We have discussed this."

They had, Severus really wanted them to return to Hogwarts for the Sorting. Getting back to Hogwarts now meant fewer questions. Professor Snape would be returning to his role of utter git and Harry had to pretend to still hate him. The difficulties of Severus life as a spy was something Harry was still learning to get his head around. He predicted a number of detentions coming his way.

"Pack up." Severus ordered as soon as they entered the room. Harry had packed up most things before entering the transition room but he had thought they might have a bit more time in this place. It didn't take much to pack up the last of his things though. He looked down at his truck and concentrated before he cast.  
" Wingardium Leviosa." 

It was a spell that now only took a tiny dash of magic. This spell used mostly the wild magic that existed outside his body. Magic that reacted to the existence of magic within his body. He was still learning which spells used which sort of magic and in what doses. He could almost feel the wood of his wand purifying the magic while the phoenix feather filtered out the undesirable unpredictability of magic. The more times he did this, the more certain he was he could learn wandless. Those lesson could wait though.

Dark eyes followed him as he levitated his trunk even as Severus quickly packed up his own things, his temporary lab long gone.  
"You are doing better Harry." The professor gave a pleased nod.  
The praise and his name sounded strange coming from the man known for his sharp tongue, Harry was getting use to it though.

There was no time to say goodbye to Nick which was a little disappointing, They made a detour so that Harry could find Hedwig and she hopped into her cage willingly, after which they did stop by the reception long enough for Harry to return the books and such he'd been given while he was here and for Severus to sign them out. 

"Here." A juice container was offered to Professor Snape. "15 minutes."

"Extend your magic Potter, what do you sence?"

"Extend?" Harry asked unsure.

"A little bit like what you do during mediation. Only more focused and contained. Can you sence the magic within Professor Protimus?" 

Harry breathed and let his awareness reach out to the magic that existed outside his body. He sucked in a shocked breath as he sensed the magic in both wizards, the magic bright and strong in both of them and then tried to touch the container.  
"I can sense both your magic's but nothing for the portkey."

"It has been given what's known as a timed shield. I am telling you this because when that shield wears off then you should be able to feel how a portkey works."

"Should he be leaving Severus?" Professor Protimus asked.  
"Harry has gained reasonable control of his magic, teaching him the rest can be done at Hogwarts."

"You are his instructor."  
"Indeed I am." Severus gave the Professor a warning look.

Harry was just glad Severus had warned him about the portkey. When the shield dropped the container felt like pure magic, only it felt foreign, wrong, alien. He felt the magic around him reject it even as he felt the pull of magic wanting to return it to its proper place.

In an instant he was standing at Hogwarts gates.  
"That was weird."  
"Welcome to your first lesson in Apparition Harry. Perhaps now you understand why a wizard can only travel to somewhere he has been before."

"He needs to know how the magic in the area feels like. Magic is different everywhere?"  
"Everywhere and that is why many travel by Floo, broom and portkey. It is not something every witch or wizard will master. No that we are here, extend your magic out to Hogwarts. Get a feel for everyone there now."

Harry closed his eyes and reached. After sensing Severus and Pro ? the magic he sensed now amongst the hundreds of students and staff was mostly dim, small.  
"I can only sense two others as bright as you and Pro?"  
"Albus no doubt is one and he has hired Tonks for DADA. Tonight is going to be a difficult one for you Harry. Us three will be keeping an eye on you incase you get overwhelmed. You may have known your friends for a few years now however you are likely to find out just how much things have actually changed for you."  
"Yes sir." At this point Harry could only take his word for it.

 

Harry stumbled as Severus literally hauled him into the Great Hall. Fist bunched into the scruff of his robes through the crowd of students only to thrust him in the general direction of Griffindores table. Harry quickly scrambled over to Ron and Hermoine as room was made for him. Normally the sniggering of Slytherin's would have bothered him but now he watched Severus glide up to the staff table with his typical snear.

"Where have you been?" Ron whispered.  
"Transition." Harry replied back.  
Luckily the arrival of the first years behind Professor McGonigal saved him from any further questions at that point. While the new students were being sorted Harry took the opportunity to use this new skill Severus had just shown him to extend his senses out. With people around him, he could now see that each one had their own light. Albus was certainly the strongest, the brightest, the light filling his whole body with Severus not far behind. Tonks was dimmer and Professor McGonigal dimmer still but sensing how dim the students around him were made him realize just how wide the gulf between them now was. 

It was possible to tell the difference between those who'd reached their adult powers and those who hadn't. The younger students seemed like mere specks while the older students seemed more like candles. He looked back at the head table were and saw Severus studying him and raised an eyebrow at him as if to say "Well?"

Of course Severus knew what he was doing and Harry spared a moment to think what it must of been like for him. Already a servant of the Darklord and realizing with a certain dred that purebloods really weren't any better or stronger then Muggleborns. With Hermione brighter then Malfroy and both of them stronger than Ron and half blood Dean Thomas surprisingly stronger then all of them, it must of been a shock. Severus no doubt would never have believed without the evidence and given what Harry could sense, all wizards paled in comparison to the four wizards here he knew to be High wizards. 

Ron nudged him as a new student was sorted into Hufflepuff and Harry turned to see him pointing to his robes. A shiny Prefect badge was pinned in place.  
"Hermoine got one too."  
"Congratulations." Harry replied knowing it meant a lot to Ron.  
"Recon you'll be Quiddich captain?"  
Quiddich? When he had so much to learn and do? He already knew he would have Occulancy lessons again. Somehow he doubted he would find flying as fun nor would he find the time.

"I hope not." Harry said honestly.  
"Blimey Harry, you love Quiddich, why not?"  
"I have a lot on my plate this year Ron, I just won't have time."  
"Its Quiddich though."  
Harry struggled to not roll his eyes. " Voldemort is busy behind the scenes trying to take over the Wizarding world and somehow I'm suppose to stop him. Snape's lined me up for more Occulancy lessons for a start, plus I'll probably have Defense lessons in my spare time."  
"Don't forget its OWLS this year either Ron." Hermione added.

"Like you'd let me forget." Ron grumbled. "Still gotta have time for fun."  
"Defense is fun." Harry shrugged.


	10. Sorting a few things out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before Harry starts at Hogwarts again, a few things need to be sorted out. Apologies for the short chapter, I thought half a chapter would be better than nothing.

"Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall appeared at his side. "The Headmaster wishes to speak with you in his office, he hopes you enjoy licorice."  
Not the least surprised, Harry gave his agreement and left Hermione and Ron to their prefect duties. The phoenix statue accepted the password of licorice and Harry stepped into the Headmasters office to find both Albus and Severus waiting. Albus was saying something but Harry's attention was immediately drawn to Fawkes. After sensing the magic of the people around him, there was no denying that the magic of the phoenix was different. Approaching the bird, Harry held his hand forward.  
"May I?" When Fawkes merely chirped in agreement, Harry reached to scratched the feather chest gently. The awe he felt when he first met Fawkes was amplified now he could sense the magic the bird contained.

"No wonder people think of them as dark." Harry said, almost dazed as he sensed the amount of destruction Fawkes could be capable of if he choose to use it.  
"Okay there Harry?" Albus asked.  
"Yes, sorry, I'm fine." Harry reluctantly stepped back from Fawkes.  
"I take it the summer went well then?" Albus asked both Severus and himself.  
"Better then expected, Harry is still rather raw though, how are you holding up so far?" Severus gave him a critical once over.  
"All right so far." 

"Severus told me you seem to be focused on creatures with a dark reputation."  
"We think so, my magic in the area is certainly stronger."  
"Your reaction to Fawkes right now is rather telling." Severus added.  
"How did you find the experience Harry?"  
"Enlightening, there is so much more knowledge out there."  
"Indeed, I am still learning." Albus smiled. "Now Severus no doubt will need to return to his house soon, I imagine you have both had time to work a few details out. I can hardly stress enough the important of Severus maintaining his position as spy."  
"Yes sir." Harry straightened.

"So occlumency lessons must occur and therefore so must remedial potions."  
"My attitude in class can not change either." Severus reminded sternly  
"I know sir." Harry was already well aware of this.

"Professor McGonagall will have your timetable by morning and I took the liberty of purchasing the books you will need, along with ink, scrolls and so forth." Albus produced a box.  
"Thank you sir."  
"A trip into Hogsmeade might be in order so Harry can purchase some more clothes, shoes and the like." Severus added.  
"Indeed, something we an work out in the next few days. Now Harry Severus is your main tutor but the rest of us are here if you need help, if you need anything tonight, you can go to Professor McGonagall."  
"Yes sir."  
"Us Mages also tend to gather at dawn for morning meditation, so if you go to her office tomorrow, she will show you where to go."  
"Yes, thank you sir." Harry nodded.  
"Now Severus, you had better get a move on and Harry here can fill me in."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter update. Harry's first day back at classes begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have not edited this at all, sorry for any errors.

The problem of mediating at dawn was that Harry had to be up and at McGonagall's office before dawn. After spending what felt like most of the night explaining that no, he wasn't playing Quidditch this year and no there was likely no need for DA this year with Tonks teaching and yes he was going to talk to her about a Defence club, Harry had't had much sleep and was aware his emotions and temper was rather frazzled. When he knocked on McGonagall's office and saw the Professor looking equally tired and frazzled though he had to smile.

"We can't have a student coming and going from a staff office all the time, someone will notice and before you know it rumours start. There are a number of secret passageways and such around Hogwarts that can get you to all sorts of places." McGonagall gave him that knowing look and Harry could only shrug hopelessly. 

"Here," she went to a picture of a lion hanging not all that far from the Gryffindor common room, "the password is yoghurt."

McGonigal lead the way up through narrow, twisty staircase which had a number of doors branching off along the way until it opened up onto a balcony. Albus and Severus were already there.

"Rough night Harry?" Albus asked from where he sat, cross legged on a brightly coloured mat.  
"A long one spent telling everyone who asked, sometimes more then once that no I am not playing Quidditch and Tonks was capable of setting up an after class Defence club."

"Speaking of, she should be here shortly," Albus smiled.  
"Sit yourself down Harry," Severus gestured to an empty spot nearby.  
"Here," McGonigal picked off a piece of lint of her own robe and in an instant transformed it into a small red cushion.

Harry moved to the spot and noted the small black mat Severus had as he sat down, cross legged like everyone else there.  
"There are no waves here to focus your breathing on. If you listen though, you can hear the staircases of Hogwarts moving."

Harry sat silently and quickly realised Severus was right, the grinding noise the staircases made was audible. His concentration was broken by the arrival of Tonks but quickly regained once she settled down after a quick apology.

"Before you start, you know now how to sense magic in people." Severus voice was calm and smooth and with a glance Harry realised the Professor was somehow mediating and talking at the same time. "Expand your senses slowly, not every High Wizard can do this but you should be able to sense the house elves at the very least, in the forbidden forest you have unicorns, thestrals and many other magical creatures. I've always been better with plants but creatures you might have better success with."

Harry gave a nod and did what he was told. Using the rhythmic grinding of the stairs, he breathed and reached out slowly. There were the witches and wizards but somewhere in the castle were the elves. It took him awhile to work it out because they were almost like fireflies, tiny little pinpricks of light only a dull sort of brown, difficult to sense at first, impossible to ignore now he knew what to look for. 

Stretching his senses out, he was puzzled by little glimmers and flashes of colour. He wasn't sure what he was sensing but as he moved beyond the castle his attention was caught by a cluster of pearl colours that he felt sure had to be unicorns. Clusters of a charcoal black which was probably thestrals and many other colours and impressions he wasn't sure of and hoped to soon work out.

"Harry?" A voice called and Harry blinked back into awareness and then blinked in surprise, he'd never seen Severus look so relaxed, he almost seemed to glow. Not even in Australia had he ever seen the Potions Professor look like this, years seemed to drop from his face. 

"You have Potions later." Severus stated as he smoothly got to his feet, his usual expression already slotting back into place. "Drought of the Living Death. You know I am going to have to give you detention."  
The lines, the signs of stress reappeared.  
"Are you asking me to stuff it up?"  
"I doubt I'll need any help." Severus's lip quirked in a way Harry was beginning to recognise as humour.   
"Well I'd better not make it to easy for you." He grinned, looking forward to the challenge all ready.


End file.
